And If That Don't Work?
by Sunshine Temple
Summary: CH12 up. With enough gun, even an Angel can be destroyed, AT field & all. Wiping-out much of the nearby area, you don't want your Pilot & Ops Director getting caught in the blast. With a proven alternative, Nerv's position has changed & Shinji? Well...
1. Use More Gun & Salvage Operation

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh Temple

Naturally, I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. So here's the disclaimer:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Temporary Backup Site.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Prologue: Use More Gun

A pillar of white light exploded over the ridge. The over pressure blast raced out. Shortly the airflow reversed, sucking air and debris towards the center of the explosion as air pressure tried to equalize. The hot air then rose over the blast center and eventually lost momentum rolling up into a tell-tale mushroom shape. Even projecting in gigantic proportions in an immense Command Center did not do the explosion's sheer power justice.

Atop the highest level of the room, three JSSDF generals watched the explosion. The one to the left jumped up and hit the console in front of him. "We did it!" General Ishikari looked back where Commander Ikari impassively sat. "Sorry, but there's nothing left for you to do, Ikari."

Various technicians looked up from their work to gaze at the diluted reflection of the immense destruction. Lieutenant Ibuki had stayed at her display. "Incoming shockwave." Her announcement heralded the displays cutting to static.

"It was such a massive explosion... It must have been destroyed." Hesitation colored the rightmost general's statement; he looked to the bank of red phones in front of him.

"Sensors online," a male technician announced.

"Energy reading in the middle of the crater," Lieutenant Ibuki stated.

"What!" General Ishikari's fist clenched.

"Visual image restored." The displays turned on. The valley where the N2 mine had been positioned was a fiery wasteland. The Angel's face was knocked up its body far out of position, but it had grown a replacement. Its body was torn and damaged, but it stood.

The leftmost general slumped in his seat. "That was _our_ trump card...."

"Unbelievable..." General Yubari sighed, and briefly wondered if Ikari had caught Ishikari's emphasis... not that it mattered.

"Monster!" General Abukuma cried. He looked to Ishikari who gave a slight nod. The young general swiped his security pass and picked up one of the red phones. He spoke into it briefly before handing it to Yubari.

"It's regenerating as expected," Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki whispered into Gendo's ear.

"Of course, otherwise it would be useless as an independent weapon," Gendo noted from behind his steepled hands.

Fuyutsuki watched as Sachiel raised an arm and shot out a beam that destroyed the surveillance VSTOL rotorcraft. "Oh, impressive. It can enhance its own functions."

A few seconds passed. Fuyutsuki straightened up from his position behind Ikari and followed his student's gaze to the... generals. Ishikari was softly talking into the phone.

"Have you received the telemetry? Yes, the N2 mine hurt it. Good luck," Yubari placed the phone back into its cradle and looked at the screen. It seemed that his country's luck would not improve.

"Su-33's have entered Japanese airspace," a technician shouted. "Their vector is on approach to the Angel."

Behind his tinted glasses, Gendo's eyes narrowed slightly. "What is this?"

General Yubari sighed. "They're from the Admiral Kuznetsov. When the target made land they launched their jets. Just... in case."

Fuyutsuki's pocket vibrated. The elder man pulled out a PDA and looked at the display. He then leaned down and whispered to Gendo. " Captain Katsuragi has the Third Child. They are enroute, there was some... difficulty..."

Gendo waved him off with slightly more impatient dismissal than normal. His attention was at the trio of generals. "That carrier's not part of the UN detachment," Gendo noted.

General Ishikari had turned around and faced the Commander. "Quite correct. This is because of the UN's mandate against certain arms."

"I see." Gendo's gaze went to the squadron of fighters.

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Captain Andrei Zel'dovich curved his plane in a wide arc. He had been carefully warned. Orientation was key. His weapon was already well within in range. Comparing his heading and the prevailing winds, the captain smiled. Amazingly, the target was actually visible. Though the fiery crater it sat in helped. "In position." His voice was smug, it was a near thing his wingman Yakov had almost beat him.

After receiving approval, he depressed the final release and the 8.4 meter long missile slung under his port wing dropped and shot off as its rocket ignited. The missile broke the sound barrier and its ramjet kicked on. An exotic engine with no moving parts, air was literally rammed into the annular intake in the missile's tip. Fuel was mixed and ignited. The jump in thrust doubled the missile's velocity and then doubled it again.

Hovering at just over Mach 4, the rocket crossed 1.3 kilometers every second. Sachiel had enough time to start turning towards the Moskva IIB. A bare fraction of a second before it impacted, the missile's proximity fuse triggered

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Lavrentiyv Sudoplatov sat down on the battered chair. It grudgingly creaked under the large man's weight. He looked around the office. All the furniture was heavily worn, even by his country's standards. The only thing not pre-second impact was the computer terminal. A gross incongruity, the machine was a splash of technological triumph in a bleak room.

What depressed Lavrentiyv the most was that this was still the best furnished office in the complex. Getting supplies to the Institute was... difficult in even the best of times. The effort was worth it, but then the accountants had begun their purge. Stymied at the inability to cut research equipment, they took their rage on the things they could.

Lavrentiyv could see their point: moving desks and mattresses and fresh food was expensive, especially when there was "officially" serviceable equipment already in stock. At least the Institute still got enough money to maintain its technical skills. The expertise here had ensured his country's sovereignty for decades. He looked up at the stout balding man sitting behind the rickety desk. "I trust you've read the briefing."

Director Pavel Beria nodded and looked to his left. A large, faded poster of a wheat field stood in for a window. "I must say I'm disappointed; it's been four years since the Impact," he said in a faraway voice.

"There were complications with our assets," Lavrentiyv tersely said.

Beria waved it off. "I suspected. Manpower is short. Metaphysical Biology is an emergent field." He tapped his fingers on the peeling edge of the desk.

"You will need additional staff," Lavrentiyv noted.

"The physics is... murky at best." Beria's eyes wandered back to his poster. "So this is to be taken into production?"

"You saw the footage. Our satellites were able to capture it. A giant made out of light rising from the bottom of the earth. You've read Gehirn's theories."

"And I weep at their lack of rigor. Biologists," Pavel shook his head

"You know who I represent. Can it be done?"

Pavel shrugged. "This isn't like smashing through six-hundred meters of granite from another hemisphere. There's not going to be an elegant solution."

Lavrentiyv's chuckle died when he saw that the engineer was being serious. "Are you resting on your laurels then? This is more than decapitating-" he gave a wry grin. "- capitalists. This time we're facing a true threat. One that will exterminate all life, down to bacteria."

"And so the Motherland is faced with rumors of an enemy with an unyielding defense. You have come to the right place. We have not forgotten our duty."

"You have a solution?"

Director Beria smiled. "Force is always a solution, the question is how to apply it."

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This time the explosion was larger, much larger, as was the incipient mushroom. Like the N2 mine the sensors were knocked down. The Generals sweated; Ishikari had already picked up one of the red phones. Gendo watched impassively. His curiosity was on how such a development had been concealed from him. He had underestimated the JSSDF and the Russians.

"Sensors online." Maya Ibuki stated. She blinked. "No energy reading."

Just before camera footage resumed. General Abukuma gave a silent prayer. The gigantic displays revealed a twice-ravaged crater and nothing else.

Ishikari held his composure. "Do we have confirmation? Make sure it didn't simply escape."

"No sign of Pattern Blue on sensors," one of the technicians said.

Yubari wiped his brow. "They did it. We won."

"Old Tokyo was attacked fifteen years ago. Before that, the spacing was sixty five years. I fear the next time will be sooner again," Abukuma sardonically noted.

"Even with the fallout. It had to be done" General Ishikari sighed. They had to prove that it was possible.

"Yes, now we just have to worry about the Russians," General Yubari noted shooting Ikari a glance. Frustratingly, the Commander was his normal impassive self. Doubtless this had somehow all been part of his plan.

Fuyutsuki leaned to Gendo. His hand clenched his PDA. At least things on that front were... stable. He would start with the more...variable news first. "What do you make of this?"

"You should be more concerned what the Old Men make of this," Gendo quietly muttered.

"You've said that 'Normal weapons would have no effect on angels.' " Fuyutsuki quoted.

"This was no normal weapon." Gendo's eyes went from Sachiel's empty grave to the older man.

Fuyutsuki nodded. Ikari wanted to find out exactly how this was not a normal weapon. "Understood. However, what do you think of all this?" He hesitated, wondering if Gendo would broach the subject.

"A convenient surprise. We were down a Pilot, and the replacement might not have agreed."

Fuyutsuki cleared his throat. "About that, there's been a complication."

Gendo's eyes widened slightly. "What happened?"

"They weren't killed in the second blast; they're very lucky. The Third Child and the Captain are alive. Unfortunately... " Fuyutsuki knew why the JSSDF had tried an N2 mine first.

For a fraction of a second Fuyutsuki saw Gendo's expression... shift. "Get Akagi, tell her to find a solution."

"Already have, Sir."

Gendo turned back to the view screen and stared at the crater. "Then you should just told me that."

End Prologue:

Author's notes: I'd like to thank Pale Wolf for being the first sounding board on developing this idea. She and DCG were right there from the start. Also, I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray, Kevin Hammel, Ikarus, and Jerry Starfire.

The Story Title comes from the "Meet the Engineer" promotional video for the computer game Team Fortress 2. In it the Engineer Class explains his views on life:

Hey look buddy, I'm an engineer, that means I solve problems. Not problems like 'What is beauty?', because that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of philosophy.

I solve practical problems.

Fr' instance, how am I going to stop some big mean mother-hubbard from tearing me a structurally superfluous new behind? The answer: Use a gun. And if that don't work? Use more gun.

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh Temple

Naturally, I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. So here's the disclaimer:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Temporary Backup Site.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter One: Salvage Operations

Consciousness returned to Misato. She found that a headache was already there, waiting. Groaning, she opened her eyes. The too-bright walls of a barren Nerv hospital room filled her gaze. She was on a bed with her head and shoulder inclined. Blinking at the white walls, she looked down, past her blanketed body and to the side.

A large machine squatted next to her bed. The almost organic curves to the conduits and tubes that made up the machine's upper half reminded her of the interior of the magi supercomputers. Cables snaked under the blanket and she felt them... probe her body in various places. Thankfully, most were simply held onto her skin with what felt like adhesive bandages. Several thick braids of cables ran from the machine to various points on her body, though the bulk of them ran up to Misato's head.

She reached up and felt a skullcap over her head. The cables split apart into a fine grid that covered the cap. She winced as her memory conjured a brilliant flash. Even reflected in her rearview mirror, it was worse than the N2 mine. Much worse. She remembered the explosion, the pain, exhilaration at being rescued, and then-

The door to the room slid open and Ritsuko Akagi stepped in, worry etched her face. She walked up to the foot of the bed and Misato blinked at the... distant expression the doctor had. "Name?"

Misato paused. Ritsuko's voice seemed to anger her headache. "Ritsuko... what's going on?" Misato winced, even her own voice made the pain worse. Her throat felt dry too. "What happened to Shinji? Is he okay?"

Ritsuko's expression... warmed slightly. "Please, tell me your name."

Misato narrowed her eyes. "Katsuragi Misato. Captain. Nerv Tactical Branch. Identification number: 02013452897001. Code number: 02432 dash 16. Happy now?"

"So far. When did you lose your virginity?"

Misato blinked. "What's this about?"

Ritsuko sighed. "Please, time is of the essence."

"It was between the first and second year of university. It was a few hours after a party. You told me not to go. This was after we had some horrible white wine in that little bar a block from your apartment," Misato put a hand to her temple.

"Are you having trouble remembering?" Ritsuko asked.

"No, I've just got a splitting headache." She looked up. "What happened? What about the Angel?"

Ritsuko gave a bitter chuckle. "The second bomb killed it."

Misato blinked. "So the Evangelion..."

Ritsuko nodded. "Wasn't needed."

"They nuked it? They really nuked it?" Misato's stomach felt cold. "What happened to Shinji?"

Ritsuko frowned. "The same thing that happened to you. The radiation exposure... you both had only days to live."

"Had?"

"The Commander ordered me to find a solution. To save the Third Child," Ritsuko waved at the machine to Misato's side. "You're my guinea pig. Shinji is... we induced a coma and are keeping him stable, but... there's only so much time."

"So why the memory test? Why not actually see if your cure got rid of the radiation?"

"Because the machines can measure all of that." Ritsuko chuckled as she looked Misato over. "The only thing they can't do is give you a friendly face, and tell me that you're your normal obstinate self."

Misato leaned back. "Fine, I'm okay. Now go and work your magic on Shinji."

"Good..." The doctor frowned again. "I've got to oversee the procedure, but I'll be back."

Lying on the bed, Misato watched Ritsuko leave. She felt one of her tresses fall out from her skullcap. Thankful that Ritsuko didn't need to shave her head to make the... machine work. She pulled the lock of hair down, looked at it, and blinked.

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The first thing Shinji heard was the chirping of cicadas. The teen's eyes opened and closed again. The room was too bright, too white. Haunted by memories of light, heat, electricity, and numbness, Shinji lay still. After several minutes a new sensation emerged.

It took almost a full minute before Shinji was able to figure out what it was and froze. A hand reached over and slipped under the hospital gown. The teen gave a perplexed squeak and withdrew... _her_ hand.

As she sat up on the bed, Shinji noticed the weight on her head more than that on her chest. Long powder blue hair grew from her head and spilled down her back and pooled on the bed. At first, she held some of the long strands in her hand and looked at them quizzically.

Her examination shifted when she noticed how... small her hands and arms were. Further explorations revealed her limbs to be in proportion. Shinji was now a normal, if younger, girl, save the blue hair.

Stepping out of the bed, Shinji paused to look at the large... organic-looking machine that sat next to her bed. Several lengths of braided cables were carefully coiled and hung on hooks that stuck out of the lower half of the machine.

That exploration was cut short as she walked to the bathroom. She went straight to the toilet and took a moment to override the old automatic instinct. Afterwards she went to the sink. While her hands washed themselves she stared at her reflection.

She blinked and shook her head, causing some of her hair to fall over her shoulders. She had seen the face in the mirror before. "No... the girl in the street was different..." Shinji paused. Her voice was soft, quiet. Part of her was not surprised that it was only superficially different from before. It sounded like "his" voice, just coming out of a girl's body.

Frowning she went back to her reflection. Before... before all this strangeness she had seen a girl standing in the street, watching, and then vanish. Shinji chewed her lip and looked into red eyes. "That girl... why am I younger... will I grow up to look like her?"

She finished washing and stepped out into the hospital room. "The second bomb. Did it hurt me... am I who...." She continued to mutter as she made her way back to the bed.

The door opened and another woman stepped into the room. Shinji blinked and saw a another set of red eyes. This woman was somewhat different from the girl in the street. A broad smile adorned a very similar face, her hair was a pale lavender, and she was a few years older, old enough to be an adult.

She was wearing a red uniform and a matching beret. A small suitcase was in her left hand. After standing at the doorway for a second, she dropped the case and ran to the bed and hugged Shinji.

Blinking, Shinji let herself be embraced. "Excuse me, but... do I know you?" She then paused. "Er... for that matter... do you know me?"

The older woman frowned. "You don't remember who you are?"

"Well, I remember I'm Ikari Shinji, a guy, fourteen. My father had asked me to come to Tokyo 3, but..." She looked down. "It sounds crazy. There was this monster and this woman that saved me and this battle and these explosions." She looked up at the other woman. "You don't believe me?"

"I do" The woman's smile grew. "Don't you remember who said they would take full responsibility for you?"

Shinji blinked. Misato did say that into her car phone just before... "Misato-san?"

The older woman nodded and released the hug and went to retrieve the suitcase.

"What happened to us?"

Misato sat back down on the bed. "The bomb. Radiation. It was killing us. The cure was... unusual," she said looking at her arm. Her face brightened. "But it sure beats being dead!"

Shinji nodded.

"At least they managed to kill the Angel." Misato opened the suitcase.

"Where's the doctor? Or nurses?"

Misato chuckled. "Ritsuko thought there would be less shock if I were the one to talk to you. I'd be the only person you'd recognize."

Shinji blinked. "But..."

Misato laughed. "Yes, there was a flaw in her plan."

"So why did the cure change us? What's going on?"

"That's what we're going to find out, once you get dressed." Misato tossed some underwear at Shinji.

Shinji looked at her medical gown and hesitated.

"You're complaining about girl's clothes?" Misato teased.

"Well no... it's not that. Not really."

Misato raised an eyebrow, and then noticed the hospital gown. "Oh, there's no reason to be shy. There's nothing you have that I haven't seen, believe me."

Questions dominated Shinji's mind as she stripped off the gown and got dressed. As that happened, Misato continued to unpack the suitcase. Some of the items were confusing, but after Misato saw her struggling with a training bra the older woman started helping in earnest.

It was only after she had finished, that Shinji realized what she was wearing. It was a school uniform. The blouse was white and the skirt and vest were teal. Her seifuku had a more nautical style than "the girl in the street's". Her skirting was pleated instead of a more smooth jumper-like configuration and she had a wider red bow adorning her chest. Still, the uniforms were of very similar style.

"Now Ritsuko was very specific on getting you a uniform, but..." Misato flashed another grin. "She didn't prohibit me from doing something for your hair."

Some of her hair had fallen in front of her face again, and Shinji frowned slightly.

"The length is a side effect of the process, but I don't think you need to cut it. Just keep it out of the way." Misato said as she unzipped a compartment in the top half of the suitcase.

She then withdrew a headband. It was dark purple with a bit of lacy edgework. On the sides it had two large silk bows with trailing ribbons in a slightly lighter shade of purple. Not seeing the younger girl offer any resistance, Misato combed Shinji's hair for over a minute.

When she was satisfied with the results, she slipped the headband behind Shinji's ears and adjusted it. Misato studied the girl. "There that'll keep most of your hair out of your eyes. Still, your bangs are pretty long, but if they're a problem we can trim them."

Misato then pulled Shinji off of the bed and pushed her to the bathroom. "Ooooh, very nice. Now don't worry. I told you, you're my responsibility and I'm going to take care of you. Besides, we're sisters now."

Shinji stared at her headband. Purple did seem to be her color. The whole thing was pretty, especially the headband. Part of her was uncomfortable, but mostly she didn't care. The clothes fit well and it was a school uniform. Even the shoes fit, and it made sense for them to be girl's shoes. The headband... She leaned her head forward. The headband did its job. "Sisters?" Shinji asked looking at the whole of the reflection. There was a eerily strong resemblance between them.

Misato grabbed Shinji's hand and pulled her along. "Come on, we've got to go," she said pulling Shinji into the hallway. Surprised at the lack of resistance, Misato looked down to find Shinji following at her side, calmly letting her hand be held.

After they went though a corridor, Misato felt Shinji pull towards the windows. "Awesome! A real Geo Front!" she gushed, looking out the windows. The vast subterranean facility sprawled beyond them. The inland lake was in the distance and above them was the armored roof and bottoms of the retractable buildings of Tokyo 3.

"That's Right. Nerv's Headquarters," Misato smiled and put her hand on Shinji's shoulder. "Come on, it'll all be explained in a moment."

Wondering what Nerv was, Shinji nodded and let herself be led through a few more corridors, until they came to a laboratory. Once inside the room, Shinji looked around. There were several medical beds and more of those organic, squat medical machines. The rest of the equipment was just as incomprehensible, though a pair of large vertically mounted grey tori dominated one corner of the room. One of the rings was two meters in diameter with the other a bit larger. Equally spaced on the circumference of the larger ring were four bulky cylinders.

Her attention then went to the two people already in the room. One was a blonde woman in a lab coat who was smiling thinly. The other.... Shinji gasped. It was the same girl, down to the uniform.

The blonde chuckled. "Normally I'd think you'd have seen her before, but..." she paused. "Well I suppose that's true. Misato, how much did you tell her?"

"Nothing much. I'll leave that to you," Misato shrugged.

"Well, at least you didn't screw up getting her dressed. And what is this?" Ritsuko asked after walking over to Shinji.

"She needed something to keep all that hair out of her face."

Ritsuko sighed and started fussing with the headband. "We could just cut it shorter. That's what we did with her nails. It's just a side effect of the accelerated growth."

When Ritsuko had finished, Shinji swallowed and stepped back to be beside Misato.

Ritsuko frowned. "So did he transfer?"

"It sounds like Shinji," Misato shrugged.

"Transfer?" Shinji asked.

"Exactly." Ritsuko sat down on a stool in front of a lab bench, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "I'm doctor Ritsuko Akagi, I came up with the procedure. You were both exposed to a lethal dose of radiation. Your bodies were falling apart and would be dead within days."

Shinji simply looked at Ritsuko.

" The damage was too much, your body would die. There was no way around that. However, your father ordered me to find a way to save you."

"My father?" Shinji asked.

Ritsuko nodded. "Yes, he's the Commander here. Anyway, it was impossible - the best I could do was retard the damage and keep you two alive for a bit longer."

"This is a new body," Shinji stated. She knew her father was doing something... but this... What was he doing?

"Specifically, hers." Ritsuko turned to Rei and after a moment lit her cigarette.

Shinji tilted her head.

Ritsuko took a drag on the cigarette. "She's a clone. You're all clones. I'm the only one here who wasn't created in a lab."

Misato narrowed her eyes slightly.

"But..." Shinji looked down. "I remember."

"Well, yes. I was able to salvage your soul, Misato's too."

"It's okay." Misato put an arm around Shinji's shoulder. "You're still a human being." Misato glared at Ritsuko. "We all are."

"Why am I younger?"

Ritsuko shrugged. "You're whatever age the body I put you in was grown to. Now I felt that triplets would be a bit too suspicious, and Misato's job needs her to be an adult. So with her being the older sister, you ended up being the younger sister." Ritsuko decided to hold back the other reason for making Shinji younger.

Shinji frowned. "Oh."

"Now Rei-" Ritsuko gestured to the "middle sister". "-was made as a clone because we were not sure that normal humans could pilot an Evangelion. Now the Second Child proved that 'normal' humans could do it."

Wondering what an Evangelion was, Shinji absently nodded. She just noticed that both of Rei's forearms were bandaged and there was a fading bruise around her right eye.

Rei's eyes went between her two... sisters. The situation was unexpected, but she had her orders.

Ritsuko sighed. "You're taking this disturbingly well. Now I'm pretty sure you're

not another.... Rei."

"Getting excited won't change anything," Shinji murmured. She then leaned onto Misato. She would just wait until things... calmed down.

Ritsuko turned to the still silent Rei and laughed a bit. "This will make your cover story easier then."

"We're all going to be sisters. The only people that know the truth about how...."

"How you were made," Ritsuko supplied.

"Yeah, the only people that can know that are us, and the Commander and the Vice-Commander. No one else can know that we're clones. Do you understand?" Misato asked.

"Not really but I'll keep the secret. No one would believe it otherwise."

"Perhaps." Ritsuko looked contemplatively at her cigarette. "Anyway, you're the Ayanami sisters now. Rei's fine since that's her name and she's kept her distance, so no one knows whether or not she has any family.

"You're okay. Only Misato met you, before, and only the senior officers knew that you were the Third Child," Ritsuko pulled out a large manila envelop and tossed it at Shinji. "You are Ayanami Shinju. We kept the name close to make it easy to remember. It'll also explain any slip ups... to some degree."

Stunned, the newly christened Shinju nodded; at this point, taking a new name seemed perfectly normal.

"Yes, I'm now Captain Ayanami Misako," the eldest, physically, Ayanami noted.

"You're the harder case; Katsuragi had been working here for a month, and was a close friend of mine."

"I'm still me!" Misako glared. "You still owe me that money!"

"I'll make it up to you later. While I was Misato's old friend from University, I became friends with you when I was at Nerv-01 on secondment. It was natural that we would meet; the First and Fourth Children are your younger sisters."

"Why'd you have to stick me in Massachusetts?" Misako asked. "Vegas would have been more fun."

"Still, we have to keep it a secret." Ritsuko continued to smoke. "Fortunately your duties are primarily involved with the Pilots, and they're family."

Misako arched an eyebrow. "Convenient."

Shinju again wondered what Evangelion were and why they thought people had to be specifically made in order to pilot them.

"Well, soon we'll formally introduce you to your 'new position'. Fortunately, it's normal for a deceased officer to be replaced," Ritsuko sighed. "The bridge crew will know something's up, but we can deal with them."

Misako nodded. She looked down to see her new sister at her side, still clutching the sealed envelop. "Is that it then? I don't know how much more... Shinju can take."

Ritsuko nodded. "Take Rei with you. The three of you have a new apartment to move into."

"I have an apartment," Rei stated, speaking for the first time.

"Which was acceptable when you were alone, but it's too small for three of you. It's best to have you living together, now," Ritsuko explained.

"Okay, but I kind of hate that I'll have to leave all my stuff and Pen-pen..."

"Maya's taking good care of him," Ritsuko explained. "Besides, use this as an excuse to go on a shopping spree. It's not like any of you really have any clothes now."

Misako looked at her younger, but identical, sisters and grinned. "Right, I'll stop off and get some identification made for- Shinju."

"I have sufficient clothes," Rei noted as she walked over to the newer clones.

Misako raised an eyebrow. "We'll see about that."

Ritsuko chuckled as she watched them leave. It was good that at least one of them was extroverted. She would have preferred if Shinju had dyed her hair too, but she did have to admit that the style was distinctive. Putting out her cigarette, she neatened up around the laboratory and then left locking it behind her.

She sighed as she walked out of the medical complex. What she told... Misako and... Shinju cut a bit too close to the truth. At least she was able to hold this and the earlier meetings with just Misako in that room. It served as a good prop, and even contained some actual Salvage equipment. It was ironic, the latest Ayanamis were still ignorant of exactly how and where they had been created.

Eventually she reached her destination and knocked on the door, which then opened. She strode into the large room. The pressing weight of the broad ceiling and the surreal symbols from particle physics painted on it and the floor had long ago become part of the background to Ritsuko. She had been in this room too many times for that to affect her. However, the person sitting at the desk was another matter.

Gendo looked past his steepled fingers and studied Ritsuko. "Was it a success?"

"It appears that way. Captain... Ayanami seems convinced it was, and she was the last person with Shinju... before." Ritsuko looked at Gendo and wondered if he could tell whether or not it was his son in that body. She did not know when they had met last.

"Impressive, maintaining commitment to the cover. Even here?" Fuyutsuki asked, from his position standing behind Gendo.

"It's a good habit to get into."

"Presuming we can trust Captain Ayanami's judgment, given that she was also Salvaged," Gendo stated.

Ritsuko managed to keep a straight face. It was not often that Gendo used his sense of humor, but it when he did... "I have spent two days with her. At the very least the majority of her personality and a sufficient quotient of her memories were transferred."

"But will the Fourth Child be able to pilot?"

"Rei is a Pilot. I would presume that a clone of her containing the soul of someone at the top of the Marduk Report would at least have the same probability of making a good Pilot as before," Ritsuko said wryly.

"Indeed, and Ayanami Shinju is now the Fourth on their Report," Fuyutsuki said.

"What's the soonest you can bring the Fourth in for a synchronization test?" Gendo asked.

"I was planning to later today, but I think Shinju needs some time to... stabilize." Ritsuko looked down. "I'll have Misako bring her in after school tomorrow."

"Test her as well."

"Yes, Sir." Ritsuko had planned on that. It would be a fascinating test, given the age of Misako's soul compared to the nature of her body.

"It's been a week since the Angel was dispatched," Gendo stated. "What is your evaluation?"

Ritsuko frowned. It was not enough that she had to develop a new means of using the Salvage equipment, but she was also forced to analyze incomplete reports, questionable data, and "educated' guesswork. "Obviously, it was a nuclear device."

"Our estimations said that it would require at least 180 million megawatts to pierce an AT Field," Fuyutsuki stated.

Ritsuko suppressed a sigh. " Energy is what counts; that wattage is assuming a one second absorption. Think of them as Joules. Now, the strength of a nuclear bomb is roughly scaled in kiloton and megaton equivalent of TNT. A one kiloton bomb would release about 4.184 million megajoules of energy. This converts to a 43 kiloton nuclear device being required, but that's assuming all the energy from the explosion goes into destroying the AT field."

"Explosions do not work that way," Gendo noted.

"Correct. The real problem is getting the energy on target. Unless you get it real close, almost all of the bomb's power will just go out and destroy things other than the angel. However, let's assume you actually put the bomb right on the AT field when you set it off. In that case, maybe as much as 10% of the bomb's power will go into the field."

"That's still about 450 kilotons."

"The Russians had that in stock. The Raduga Kh-22 has an explosive range between 350 and 1000 kilotons and could fly at twice the speed of sound, with a range of 400 kilometers."

"The explosion was smaller than that. So what did they use?" Gendo asked.

"The Moskva IIB's was originally a joint project with India, but they dropped out due to lack of funding, given the severe devastation of the Indian Ocean Tsunamis after the Second impact and the brief nuclear war they had with Pakistan.

"The missile's physics package deviated from that of normal nuclear weapons. In all such bombs, execution of proper supercriticality requires careful design. Most of this went into making the implosion as symmetrical as possible. Director Pavel Beria had experience in directing the blast for specific applications, such as blowing through hundreds of meters of armor and stone."

Fuyutsuki blinked but Gendo remained impassive.

"Thanks to Russian paranoia about the Angels' return, he had funding, computers capable of the calculations, and a mission. If you'll recall my earlier statement that at best 10% of the bomb's strength would go towards piercing the AT field... I'm not exactly sure how he did it. It seems he modified the geometries, tweaked the lensing, and dampened some of the reactions away from the 'target'."

"What percentage was he able to get?" Fuyutsuki asked.

Ritsuko looked up "Twenty-five."

"That's it?" Fuyutsuki paused.

Ritsuko pursed her lips, it was hard to explain exactly the level of scientific understanding and technological finesse required to get that level of... focus. "Keep in mind, nuclear weapons are very fast, very... messy. Beria's work is impressive. It reduced the needed power by over half. His... biased blast design meant they only needed 172 kilotons."

"They used a 200 kiloton device," Gendo stated.

"They wanted to be sure. They could have used a more powerful missile, or simply shot at it more than once. There was a fully loaded squadron up there for a reason. Thankfully the N2 mine gave them some idea of how strong of an AT field they were facing. The full fighter compliment launched from the Admiral Kuznetsov; that's twelve jets each carrying two missiles. Consider what they could have done."

Ritsuko allowed an inward smile at the shock on both of the men's faces. The hassles of the week almost made up for this moment.

"How was this option... overlooked," Gendo stated delicately.

"Ignoring the political factor... it was deemed absurd," Ritsuko wished she could have a smoke. "Gehirn's feasibility studies... they were laughable They always assumed that the angel would be at least a few hundred meters from the blast center. They were also ignorant of Beria's work."

"Still, it seems that if you fired enough, brute force would overcome." Fuyutsuki noted.

Ritsuko nodded.

"The question is what the Russians plan to do with this Project Azazel," Fuyutsuki muttered.

"Fight Angels? Just like we are with Project E," Ritsuko stated with a trace of sarcasm.

"We need to determine to what extent Azazel can be a benefit and to what extent they will be a hindrance," Gendo stated.

"Yes, but the Evangelions do provide a more... refined solution. Less collateral damage for one."

"Indeed. Strictly speaking, the angels don't need to die at our hand. They just have to be stopped." Fuyutsuki glanced down at Gendo. "Thank you Doctor. Keep us appraised of the Ayanami sisters' status."

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"Ahh! This is the life!" Misako cheered after she emptied the beer can and tossed it. "Nice food, clean apartment, and good roommates."

Rei's eyes followed the can and she frowned thinly where it landed. She lowered the spring roll she had on her chopsticks.

_Why does she care about the mess? Her apartment was not exactly... clean. _Shinju thought tilting her head.

"Come on, eat you two!" Misako urged, as she opened another beer. "Shinju... I know you've gotta be hungry. You haven't even eaten yet."

"We really should not ingest alcohol." Rei stated.

"Why? It doesn't have any meat in it? Besides, I asked Ritsuko, she said I could have beer."

"We can't eat meat?" Shinju softly asked.

Misako nodded as she stirred her soup. "It's a side effect. Ritsuko gave us a list of what we can and can't eat; it's in that folder she gave you."

"Including different drug tolerances." Rei mildly looked at the elder clone.

"You're no fun," Misako pouted as she got up and went to the kitchen to heat up a packet of dumplings. The apartment was in the same building as the former Katsuragi residence. However, it was a couple floors higher and was slightly larger, with three bedrooms. The Captain's old apartment only had two bedrooms and a storage room that could do the job if need be.

When Misako returned she frowned. The younger girls were quietly eating, each in their own world. She sat down and started eating. However, the silence began to press at her. Looking over she saw two mild, essentially identical, faces blandly consuming.

Misako twitched. "Oh come on!" She turned to Shinju. "Look, I know Rei's like this but I didn't think that you'd be a complete introvert too."

Shinju looked up and then quickly withdrew. Her headband loosened, it was even easier for her to hide behind her bangs.

Rei put down her utensils and looked between the other clones.

"Awww, I'm sorry." Misako went around the low table and used her hands to brush the hair out of Shinju's face. "I... I didn't mean to yell," she said sliding the headband back into place.

The pre-teen let Misako pull her. "This is all a bit much for me."

"We're in the same boat."

Shinju inhaled. "No. You... you get to go back to the same job. It's all new to me. Everything. I can't go back."

Rei tilted her head slightly and noted just dead and fatalistic her voice could be.

"I came here because my Father wants me to pilot some sort of robot to fight giant monsters, and I end up..." Shinju's complaints degenerated into confused half-hearted sobs.

"It's okay. It's okay," Misako repeated, as she hugged the girl. "We're here for you." She turned to the middle Ayanami. "Rei do you want to help? Give her a hug."

"Why?"

"It's what sisters do. We comfort each other when we're in pain."

"Shinju is not hurt." Rei noted as she itched one of the bandages on her forearm.

Misako reached out and grabbed Rei's hand and pulled her forward. "Hug. Now."

Awkwardly, Rei put her arms around the sobbing girl.

"We're here for you," Misako assured. Eventually the crying abated and the two larger sisters pulled away.

Shinju lowered her eyes, and put her arms around Rei, who stiffened. "Thank you."

Back at her side of the table, Rei nodded.

Silence grew over the sisters again. With a little sigh, Misako suffered through it. After they finished, Shinju started throwing away the empty instant packages and hunting down the beers Misako had emptied. After observing for a moment, Rei moved in to assist.

Misako went into her bedroom. She went past the unopened bedding to the desk that had been pushed against one corner. She leaned over to a pile of shopping bags and hunted around until she found the two she was looking for.

Shopping had been... surprising. She had expected Shinju to react poorly to buying clothes, especially girl's clothes, but the young girl had taken to the tasks with a quiet acceptance. Misako wondered how much of that was lingering shock from the transfer.

What Misako did not expect was Rei's difficulty. Rei's declaration that she had sufficient clothing... Remembering that tiny dingy apartment, Misako sighed. She never thought she would find someone who lived in worse conditions than she... had.

Misako opened the first package and withdrew a trio of silver frames. _The problem with Rei... isn't that she' won't cooperate. She'll do anything if it's an order, and that's the problem. _Misako thought to herself as she opened a folder. She froze at the contents.

_Creepy eyes_, Misako thought looking at the photographs. It did not help that she was the only one smiling. Rei was her normal bland self, and while Shinju was quite cute, her expression was more of terminal shyness than any kind of joy.

Misako shrugged and slipped three photos of the right size into their frames. She left one on her desk and went into Rei's bedroom.

Misako frowned. The room was bare. The only personal items were a pile of books on the dresser and a glasses case. There was a medical kit with drugs, bandages and other equipment, which was no surprise. Misako and Shinju had identical kits too.

Misako put a picture frame on the dresser and gave the room's bare walls a final look. She would have to make sure, Rei's room got a bit more... personality.

Going into Shinju's room, Misako found even fewer personal effects. The only thing on Shinju's dresser was the box to her new music player, Shinji's old player had been broken the second time Misato's car had been flipped, and a stack of mini-Discs. Looking over the titles, she shook her head. Shinju's taste in music...

_Well, I'd say it's something you'd see some emotional little girl listening to but...._ Misako thought to herself as she placed the wide picture frame on Shinju's dresser. Sliding the door closed behind her, she went back into the living room.

"Not again," Misako sighed. "What's with you two?"

Rei's eyes briefly rose from her book before going back down.

On the other side of the couch, Shinju kept reading her "Welcome to Nerv" packet.

"I'm gonna have to get a movie player, maybe a Sega System," Misako sat down in n adjacent chair and turned on the television. "Maybe that will get you girls more active."

Rei's eyes narrowed slightly, but she kept at her reading. Shinju responded even less.

Misako blinked and stepped over to the smaller girl. She looked down to see the music player in Shinju's lap, just under her book. The headphone wires went up to a pair of small ear-bulbs, which were completely concealed by hair and fluffy bows. "Shinju," Misako gently said poking her in the shoulder.

Shinju snapped her head up, red eyes widening in shock, and her cheeks began to flush. "So- Sorry..."

Misako squeezed the girl's shoulder. "It's okay, I just wanted to get your attention," she finished lamely.

"Oh."

"Don't worry kiddo," Misako fluffed one of Shinju's bows. "You've got a big day tomorrow. First day of school, then we've got to checkout your Evangelion."

Shinju's blush rallied. "Okay."

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Rei woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. The momentary confusion abated as the previous day's memories grew. In the near-dawn light, she looked over to her dresser. The alarm clock showed she had plenty of time before school. She looked past the Commander's glasses case to the silver picture frame. Three sets of red eyes looked back at her.

Taking a moment to relish the lack of constant hammering, Rei considered there to be some improvements to her new residence. However, she soon realized there was another repetitive noise. She would have preferred to stay in bed, but she had her orders.

Going towards the noise, she got out of her bed and crossed the hall. She slid the door open and stood over Shinju's sleeping, whimpering form. Tilting her head, Rei knelt down over her sister.

Giving a quick blink, Rei continued to watch Shinju thrash and sob. Trying to hear Shinju's murmuring's, Rei leaned in closer. Unsure of what to do, Rei reached out, and found herself drawn in. Falling from a kneeling position, Rei ended up lying next to her little sister.

Dreams of fire and pain fading, Shinju woke up to a pair of red eyes staring at her. "R- Rei?" she hoarsely asked.

"You were having a nightmare?" Rei asked, as she awkwardly patted Shinju's shoulder.

Shinju nodded. "You, came in to comfort me?" she asked, amazement edging her voice.

Rei tilted her head and rose to her knees. "It seemed you were in pain."

Noticing Rei's state of dress, Shinju averted her eyes, which was easy given her hair length. _Why isn't she wearing the pajamas that Misako-san bought her? Does she sleep nude? _Shinju thought to herself as she turned to look at the clock.

Rei stood up and paused. "I'm sorry I woke you."

Shinju stared at the top of her dresser. "Don't apologize," she said, turning to the nude girl. Their bodies were almost identical, save a couple years. "I'm... happy. You and Misako-san are the first people to care about me."

Pondering the younger girl's words, Rei stared. "You should get ready for school."

"Thank you," Shinju whispered as her sister left. After turning on the lights, she then stripped out of her pajamas and put on her Tokyo 3 First Municipal Elementary School uniform. Looking at her dresser, she picked up a brush and walked over to a wall-mounted mirror. She was glad that Misako had given her grooming instructions.

When she finished brushing her hair out, she walked back to the dresser and put the brush down. Looking at the picture frame briefly, her eyes drifted to the violet Alice headband with its lavender bows. After a moment's consideration, she picked it up, and slid the headband on.

She then stepped into the living room and nearly ran into Misako. The elder Ayanami, in a pair of shorts and tank-top, gave Shinju a surprised once-over.

"Er... did I put it on right?" Shinju asked as she gave her pleated skirt a nervous tug.

"Yes, very good," Misako smiled, fluffing one of Shinju's bows.

Still looking down, Shinju nodded.

"Come on, we've got breakfast," Misako took Shinju's hand and pulled her the around the corner to the kitchen.

Rei, already sitting at the table, looked up from her meal before returning her attention to it.

"What's this?" Shinju asked, looking at a small dish filled with about a dozen pills.

"Rits didn't make us quite right," Misako sighed as she took her seat and poured a couple of pills from her dish into a cupped palm. "So the three of us have to take this stuff." After swallowing some, she turned back to Shinju. "So are you excited about your first day at school?"

Picking at her breakfast, Shinju shrugged.

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The first morning in Class 6-A completed, Shinju got up. A small sigh of relief escaped her lips. The boredom had come as a welcome respite. Hesitantly, she pulled out a store-bought bento. She had put some thought into her lunch; it helped keep her mind off of what awaited her after school. After grabbing her music player and putting a history book under her lunch she turned around and saw two of her classmates.

"Hi, I'm Horaki Nozomi. I really like your headband," the freckled brunette chirped.

Her companion, another brunette, had her hair in a ponytail and was a bit shorter and wore thin glasses . "And I'm Suzuhara Shirane. It really does go well with your eyes. Very exotic."

"Where'd you get it?" Nozomi asked.

"Er... My... Misa... er.. Oneesan gave it to me," Shinju stammered as her cheeks tried to match her eyes' coloration.

"Aww, how nice, was it a birthday present?"

Shinju blinked. "Well... yes, you can say that."

"You want to have lunch with us?" Shirane asked. "It's a nice day and we were thinking of eating outside."

"Well... " Shinju looked at her text book, and then out the window. It looked out the pool and athletic fields that sprawled behind the school. In order to get more use out of those facilities, Tokyo 3 First Municipal Elementary school sat next to the Junior High.

Shinju looked out and had to agree. It was a nice day. Her gaze then spotted a girl with blue hair sitting at one of two benches under a tree. "Well... " Shinju repeated. "I was... planning on having lunch with... Oneechan."

"The one that gave you your headband? She's a student here?" Shirane asked.

Shinju shook her head. "Eldest sister gave me the headband. Oneechan's in Class 2-A of the Junior High.."

"Well, let's go out. Maybe she'll want to eat lunch with us too." Nozomi doubtfully ventured. Her sister was the Class Representative of 2-A and she had recalled Hikari mentioning an Ayanami classmate a lot like Shinju.

"Uh, okay," Shinju relented, and they left the classroom.

They exited the building and Shinju found herself leading the way. When they got within a few dozen meters of Rei. Shinju stopped. "I'll go and ask her myself; she's... shy."

"Runs in the family," Nozomi muttered.

Shinju gave a slight nod and walked over to Rei. The middle Ayanami put down her genetics book and met Shinju's gaze. "Hi... you want to have lunch? I brought a book to read," Shinju angled her textbook so Rei could get a better view.

Rei's eyes went to the two girls waiting behind Shinju.

"Uh... they wanted to eat with me. They're just being nice, but-" Shinju's voice lowered. "I really don't know if they'll be quiet, too. So... would you be okay with it?"

Rei paused in thought. Falling into her orders, she nodded and scooted over to one side of the bench. It things got too loud she could go back to the classroom early.

"Thanks," Shinju turned back to her classmates.

"Well?" Shirane asked.

"She doesn't mind, but... she's a bit particular," Shinju cautioned.

Nozomi nodded. "It's okay, my sister's in her class, and told me a bit about her. I'm just happy Rei actually has some family."

Her blush returning again, Shinju gave a small nod.

"Oneechan, this is Horaki Nozomi and Suzuhara Shirane," Shinju said to Rei.

Rei nodded to the two girls.

"So did you and your Oneesan just move in?" Shirane asked as she and Nozomi sat at one bench while Shinju sat next to her sister.

Before casting a glance back at Rei, Shinju nodded again and opened her bento.

"It must be nice living with your family again," Shirane told Rei.

Rei tilted her head. "Your brother is in my class."

"Oh, wow. Good point!" Shirane laughed. "You're right about that. The big jock has his moments. He got out of the shelter and tried to "save" me. Of course then the bomb got us both.

Shinju stopped her eating. "How... how bad?"

"We were pretty sick, but we didn't get a bad dosage," Shirane smiled at her lunch, having her appetite back was a good thing.

Shinju tilted her head. Clearly, Shirane had a different idea of what "pretty sick" was.

"You should have followed orders," Rei testily noted, not looking up from her book.

"Yeah, that was really, really stupid of you. What if the Angel had been closer?" Nozomi asked.

"I'm sorry. I'm not gonna do that again." Shirane pouted.

"That will get you killed," Shinju stated.

Silently eating her own lunch, Shirane nodded.

Nozomi looked at her friend and frowned. "Oh, you've got one of those Sony Mini-Discs," she said after seeing the player on top of Shinju's history book.

Shinju nodded.

"What are you listening too?"

Shirane watched Shinju get up and handed the player over. It was interesting; physically, the Ayanamis were very alike, aside from the hair. Shinju's was nearly knee-length while Rei kept a pageboy with combed-in sides; clearly Shinju was the more feminine sister. Shirane idly wondered what Shinju would look like when she got old enough to start wearing makeup and got the curves that her older sister already had.

Nozomi put one of the speakers to her ear and hit play. "Oh... nice, classical music. You're into that stuff?"

"I like a lot of music," Shinju softly said.

Rei raised an eyebrow slightly but kept reading her book. Evidently, her younger "sister" was different, at least when it came to sociability.

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Standing by the entrance to the Junior High, Shinju waited. Music abated her nervousness, somewhat. Eyes perking, she walked over to Rei, who was briskly walking through the gate.

Turning to see the younger clone running towards her, Rei stopped. Her face blank, she waited for Shinju to catch up to her. Giving the girl a slight nod, she turned and resumed walking down the street.

Turning her music player off, Shinju followed alongside the taller girl in relative silence for a block or so. "Um... thanks, for waiting."

"Thanks?" Rei flatly asked.

"Yeah," Shinju frowned and walked alongside Rei for a few more paces. "About, today..."

Rei's head tilted slightly.

"Any advice? I mean... I don't know what to expect."

"The Evangelion won't move unless you open your heart." Rei said, almost reverently.

Shinju blinked. "My heart is closed?" she asked, genuinely curious.

They approached one of the armored entrances that lead down to the Geo Front. The small building squatted on a street corner and looked like it could withstand an N2 blast, at the very least. Rei looked the smaller girl over. "You'll find out today."

"Oh," Shinju stated as they both swiped their ID cards to get through the first set of security doors, which were massive steel shutters several inches thick. They then went through a security checkpoint where they were examined by a set of Nerv guards, and then went through an even thicker set of gates.

After entering an elevator, Shinju fidgeted with her right hair bow. "Why does my heart matter? I thought they were robots."

"No, the Evangelions have souls," Rei stated, watching her sibling's reflection via the polished elevator doors.

"Oh, Oneesan didn't mention that."

"Captain Ayanami does not know."

"Oh," Shinju stated. Their descent continued in silence. The elevator doors opened and Shinju followed Rei as the older girl navigated the moving walkways and escalators that crisscrossed the gigantic facility.

Eventually, the pair came to a somewhat unassuming steel door. Ritsuko and Misako were waiting next to it.

"Did you have a good first day?" Misako asked as she gave one of Shinju's bows a playful flick.

Ritsuko looked up from her clipboard and stared at the clones. There was something... off.

"Uh... yes. I met some nice people and we all had lunch together," Shinju blushed.

"See! I told you you'd have a good day. You even made some friends," Misako cheered.

As Ritsuko digested the idea of Rei being social, she noticed what had got her attention.

"Oneesan... how was your first day?" Shinju asked, wondering why neither Oneechan or Oneesan had these problems. They had the same bodies; how come their cheeks never turned red?

"Onnesan?" Misako smirked. "Eh, it was fine. I was introduced to a bunch of people. I then had to do a bunch of paperwork. Normal stuff."

Ritsuko cleared her throat. "Rei, why are you holding hands with Shinju?"

"She kept being distracted on the way over here. It was the simplest way to keep her from wandering." Rei then let go of Shinju's hand

"Sorry, but this place is just so big and strange. There's all this giant machinery and weird rooms."

Ritsuko smirked. "Oh. You like that kind of stuff?"

Shinju shrugged. "It's impressive."

Swiping her security pass on the door, Ritsuko chuckled. "If you'll go in then."

After the four women entered a pitch-black room, the door closed behind them with a loud echo. Shinju could hear the sound of waves and wondered if they were near that underground lake. "It's pitch black," Shinju stated, just before the lights switched on.

The young girl gasped in surprise. A gigantic purple armored face, with solid white eyes stared back at her. Shinju looked down and saw that the rest of the... thing was immersed in pinkish fluid up to its shoulders.

"This is humanity's Multi-Purpose Humanoid Fighting Machine, Evangelion. This is Unit 01. It was build in secrecy. This is... was mankind's last chance," Ritsuko noted with a sigh at the end.

Shinju continued to stare as she tried to take in the vast war-machine. "This... this is for me?"

"Perhaps," Ritsuko admitted. "It took Rei seven months to synchronize, and we're not even sure you can do it yet, but... we might as well try."

"This is... my father's work?"

"Yes, that's why he sent for you." Ritsuko frowned. Shinju's paternity should be kept a better secret.

_I need to open my heart... to this thing's... soul. Father must have thought I could do that. _Shinju thought to herself _He thought that before the bomb, before I... changed._

"Do you want to test this out?" Misako knelt down to Shinju's height. "We need more Pilots. We need a.... better alternative to the Russian way of fighting angels."

"We do?"

"Compared to Azazel's methods, the Evangelion is a surgical weapon. It won't destroy an entire city whenever it's used."

"Oh," Shinju turned to Rei, who simply blinked blandly back at her.

"Well?" Misako asked.

Shinju bit her lower lip. "Yeah... I'll do it. I mean. I'll try."

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"I'm surprised you didn't make her do it yourself," Fuyutsuki noted as he looked at the monitor.

"Why?" Gendo asked, sitting at his desk. "It would merely antagonize the girl. Without an angel attacking, there's no urgency. Better to let her... family-" He gave a slight grin. "push her into this."

"You want her cooperative?"

"Ideally. Given the competition, I would prefer our Pilots to be as... functional as possible," Gendo noted.

"You care what Azazel does?" Fuyutsuki asked. "Technically, it doesn't matter how the angels die."

"True, but they could become a threat to Nerv's budget. The UN might think that they don't need a 'Fortress City' if a pile of missiles can kill the angels."

"Surely the Old Men..."

Gendo turned to Fuyutsuki. "Azazel could be their creation. What better way to apply pressure and a check to keep us in line,"

"I would think them being independent is worse. What if an Angel makes it into the Geo Front and they feel that the Third Impact is imminent?"

"Indeed." Gendo nodded. "Our investigations must continue, but we must also make sure Nerv succeeds in its stated goal."

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"Is this right? It feels kind of funny." Shinju asked as she stepped out of the Pilot's locker room.

Half expecting the plugsuit to be loose, Ritsuko turned and was about to reach for Shinju's wrist. The scientist then noted that the bodysuit was skin tight. "What's wrong?"

"It's just really tight. It feels weird." Shinju tugged at the suit's waist. It also made the changes to her chest more obvious. The bodysuit itself was solid purple with green accents, similar in coloration to Unit 01.

"It's supposed to be. It's been made specifically for you and is not too small," Ritsuko dryly noted, as she frowned at the girl's headwear

"Oh, okay."

"I'm afraid you can't wear that in the Plug." Ritsuko pointed to Shinju's headband.

Shinju blinked and then stared at Ritsuko.

Looking at those red eyes, Ritsuko almost took a step back. "The bows are silk; the LCL will stain them. I don't want it to get ruined."

Shinju frowned. "LCL?"

"It's a fluid we pump into the Plug. Don't worry you can breathe it. It's required for the synchronization, but you'll get used to it," Ritsuko explained.

Giving the older woman a skeptical glance, Shinju pulled off her headband and went back to her locker. When she returned, Ritsuko was holding a pair of barrette-like purple Interface Headsets.

"For synchronization?" Shinju asked as she slipped them into her hair.

"Correct." Ritsuko then lead Shinju out of the locker room and down a corridor. They went down a set of stairs and entered a gantry way above the giant machine. Shinju looked down to see the vast lake of pink fluid begin to drain away, revealing more of Unit 01.

Reaching an inclined white cylinder, Ritsuko had Shinju enter the plug and helped her into the seat. The scientist then withdrew, leaving the Forth Child alone. The plug sealed and Shinju felt a jolt as the plug was inserted into Unit 01.

Shinju had a moment to look around the shiny walls of the plug's interior before amber fluid started to rise from the capsule's bottom. She squirmed as the LCL reached her chin.

"Don't worry, you can breath this. Once your lungs fill with LCL, it'll directly supply you with oxygen. You'll get used to it," Ritsuko's voice radioed in.

Totally immersed, Shinju was finally forces to let her breath go. Air escaped and liquid rushed in. Her sinuses and lungs filled as she tried, and succeeded, to breathe. "I feel sick." Her voice was quiet.

"You're doing great, Kiddo!" Misako reassured. "It's about to start."

Shinju nodded. Remembering Oneechan's advice she started chanting to herself. _Open my heart. Open my heart. Open my heart. Open my heart._

"Charging LCL. Second Contact is made. The connection of the A10-nerve is operational," Maya said over the same communications channel.

The amber fluid suddenly turned clear, but Shinju gasped more at the lightshow on the inner surface of the Plug, first a rainbow ran up the length of the cylinder, then Shinju was immersed in darkness as the surface went black and lightning-like white lines ran up the length of the tube. The interior then turned a glossy ruby before shifting into a series of view screens. Keeping up her mental repetitions, she could feel... something. Her body felt restricted and anchored, especially in the shoulders.

"All Initial contacts are Alright," Maya said, as Shinju leaned forward to get a better... view. The vast room Unit 01 was stored in came up on the screens.

"Ratio of synchronization is... 62.4%." Maya said with a little gasp.

"Incredible," Ritsuko smiled as she watched the multitude of displays turn green. "It will work," she noted, with pride.

"How are you feeling Shinju?" Misako asked, appearing on a small display window superimposed over the Evangelion-eye-view.

"Okay. Feels kind weird, but okay."

"You're doing just great!" Misako gave a thumbs up.

"I am?"

"You're a natural. Ritsuko's this close to maniacal laughter."

"They did call my ideas mad, but I showed them," Ritsuko thinly smiled.

"If you're up to it. We're going to withdraw the Umbilical bridge, and the other safety locks. Then we'll move you to a training room and get you used to moving around. You wanna do that?"

Shinju looked around; she was already here. "Yes, why not?"

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"My hair still smells funny." Shinju frowned as she slipped her headband back on.

"Aren't you glad I told you to take it off." Ritsuko's eyes went to Shinju's older sister, who had also stripped out of a plug suit.

Rei silently watched the exchange.

Shinju's hand went to one of her bows. "Yes," she softly said before turning to her sister. "I'm sorry your test didn't go so well."

The elder Ayanami blinked.

"Well, it's not like there's, currently, an Evangelion for her. Unit 00 is still being... checked." Ritsuko sighed and looked at Rei.

Shinju wondered what had happened with Unit 00, but could not quite muster the initiative to ask.

"That just leaves Unit 01. Still, I was curious. I wanted to see how she'd perform."

"Well you found out," Misako sighed.

"Yes, disappointing," Ritsuko and frowned between the sisters. Perhaps it was a bit much for her to assume the pilots could be interchangeable.

"Of course it didn't work." Misako put on her skirt and blouse. She would have preferred her normal miniskirt and top, but, for now, the Nerv Tactical uniform was safer. "Born pre-impact."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

Misako frowned. "Fine. You've got a point. It still didn't work."

"5%," Ritsuko smirked. "Not that you can tell anyone about this, ever."

"Yes, it'd blow our cover." Misako rolled her eyes.

"You're training will be a continued challenge," Ritsuko mussed.

"What? I didn't even come close to the Border-line nerve link," Misako groused.

"It took Rei seven months to synchronize." Ritsuko shrugged, looking at her notes. "There's at least the capacity in you for it to work."

Misako looked between Shinju and Rei. "Yeah, I'll keep at it. I can't send you out there without trying to make sure I don't do my best too."

Behind her clipboard, Ritsuko smiled thinly. "Well, I guess that's it. You're free to go. I'll expect you in tomorrow for more training and tests"

Misako sighed, while Rei remained unresponsive. Meanwhile, Shinju looked down at her shiny new shoes. "Um... did I do good... today?"

The scientist's mouth opened and her arm dropped to her side, causing the papers clipped to the board to flutter about. "You... you broke 60% on your first time.... I mean..." She stared at the young girl meekly hiding behind her bangs.

Marveling at the girl's... insecurity, Ritsuko bent at her knees and lifted Shinju's chin up. "Yes. You did amazingly well. You should be proud. Very proud for what you were able to do today."

"Really?" Shinju quietly asked.

"Yeah, you did great today!" Misako assured.

"Now go on, enjoy the rest of your evening," Ritsuko said as she led the three sisters out of the locker room.

Following Shinju and Misako, Rei blinked and gave a slight nod. The trio went down a corridor and came to a moving walkway. After riding it, they finally reached an elevator bank.

Midway through their ascent the elevator stopped. The doors opened and Gendo's stern face looked down at the Ayanamis. Glasses reflecting the light, he watched as Shinju hesitantly stepped forward.

Determination crossed the small girl's face. _Open my heart. Open my heart, _she thought as she looked at her father's stern face. Summoning her will, she spread her arms and wrapped them around Gendo's waist and hugged the tall man.

Gendo's eyebrows raised as he stared down at the juvenile clone. Inside the elevator, Misako stared in shock and Rei stared with a guarded expression. "Been a while hasn't it?" he eventually asked.

"Father..." Shinju softly said. "Father, why did you call me?"

Gendo pushed his glasses up. "For exactly the reason that you think."

Shinju tightened her grip. "Do you mean that I should pilot... Eva, and fight against things like what I saw?"

"Of course." Gendo's voice was bemused.

"No way...." Shinju whispered; she then tilted her head to look up at his face. "Why've you saying this now? I thought you didn't want me."

Misako winced at Shinju's pitiful tone.

Gendo stared into Shinju's eyes. "I only called for you because I need you now."

"Why me..." The clone finally loosened her grip.

"Because others cannot... or cannot do it well." Gendo said with a tinge of irony. Hesitantly, he put a hand on her shoulder.

Hitting the "Door Open" button again, Misako gaped. Not only had the Commander let himself be hugged, for an extended period no less, but he was now reciprocating in physical contact.

"Can I do it? I've only just seen it. How can I do it?" Shinju swallowed nervously.

"You have done it. You will do it. You cannot fail."

"I have?" Shinju unwrapped her arms and stepped back.

"Consider your performance today."

"62.4%" Shinju had lowered her head again, but her voice had a trace of pride.

Gendo allowed a slight smirk to grace his face.

"You're happy about her performance?" Misako asked, overcoming the shock of what she had seen.

"She exceeded all expectations. Yes Capitan, I have confidence in your sisters' performance." Gendo adjusting his glasses again. "The question is, will your tactical skills be able to meet their needs?"

"Yes Sir." Misako replied.

"Good." Gendo then looked to Rei and finally down to Shinju. "Captain, Pilots. If you'll go ahead, I'll take the next elevator."

Shinju nodded and stepped back into the elevator cab and silently watched as the doors closed. "Father, we won't fail you," she whispered.

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Nozomi followed Shirane down a hallway. "Does anyone else live here?" the pony-tailed girl asked.

"Only a couple of the patios had any furniture on them," Nozomi shrugged.

"I guess the Ayanamis like their privacy."

"It's nicer than where Rei lived before her sisters arrived. My sister said it was over by Development District."

Shirane blinked. "With all that construction? Why'd she live there?"

"Why do they now live way out here," Nozomi shrugged as they reached their destination. "It's not like it's hard to find apartments in this city."

"Good point." Shirane rung the doorbell.

An electronic chime rang out in the hallway. After the door opened, the two elementary-school girls blinked at the person behind it. The woman was several years older than Shinju or Rei. While her eyes were the same shade of red the other two Ayanami had, her hair was more of powder lavender than powder blue. The biggest difference was the confident smile and excited eyes on an otherwise distinctly Ayanami face. A shiny black miniskirt and a skimpy red top showed off her adult but youthful body.

"You two must be Shinju's friends," the woman said as she almost physically drew them into the entrance corridor.

"Yes, I'm Horaki Nozomi and this is Suzuhara Shirane," she said removing her shoes with Nozomi.

The woman nodded. "Ayanami Misako."

"Thanks for having us over," Shirane said.

"Shinju told you?" Misako's eyebrow cocked. "Hah, poor girl. I'll bet she made it sound like I ordered her to invite you over."

"What? I was just being polite." Shirane tilted her head. Shinju had been very nervous when she asked them if they wanted to come over, but that was just the girl's style.

As they rounded a corner and entered the kitchen, Misako winced. "Oh... she didn't tell you..."

Nozomi and Shirane then saw the apartment. To their left was a kitchen area, to their right was the wash and bath room. Immediately in front of them was a dining section that led to a rather spacious living room and beyond that was a large veranda. Doors to what were likely bedrooms were on either side of the living room. Sparsely furnished, the apartment looked recently moved-in.

Sitting at one end of the living room couch was Rei, still in her school uniform, her nose in a book. However, the elementary school girls' attention was on the kitchen. Blushing furiously, Shinju stood in the kitchen holding a large mixing bowl. She was wearing an apron the same light purple as her bows over a white dress with ruffled sleeves and scalloping on the ankle-length skirt's hem.

"Nice dress." Shirane felt self conscious. In between Misako's under-dressing, Shinju's over-dressing, and Rei's formal-dressing her own sweater and skirt felt too... normal.

"It's very pretty," Nozomi's wondering if Shinju had said this was a dress-party and she had simply not heard it.

"I... I... Oneesan... said I should wear.... something nice." Shinju stuttered out.

"And it is very nice," Shirane said as she helped Shinju put the large metal bowl down on the dining room table.

"You're cooking?" Nozomi asked. After spending a week around the younger Ayanami, she had found that the best way to get her fits of embarrassment under control was to change the subject.

Shinju nodded. "Oneesan.... well..."

"You can say it," Misako laughed and turned to the two guests. "I can't cook. Even Rei's better than me, and she can only make the basics."

Looking up from her book, Rei gave an almost... interested glance at the conversation.

"The dress looks nice? I mean... I'm not sure it's... me." Shinju's cheeks had started to cool.

"You look adorable." Shirane's voice had shades of jealousy.

Shinju frowned. "It doesn't make me look too old?"

"A frilly party dress?" Nozomi chuckled. "Not really, though the apron and cute faux-pearl necklace, make you look like a little girl playing at homemaker."

Flushing furiously, Shinju went back to the kitchen. "Well..."

"Don't worry, you're not too old to play pretend," Shirane teased.

"It's not pretend; she does the majority of the household maintenance," Rei noted

"She doesn't do all the cleaning!" Misako's blush nearly rivaled Shinju's

Rei tilted her head. "Correct, I often help."

Snickering, Nozomi wondered why her sister never mentioned Rei's sense of humor. Though Hikari could be overly serious herself.

"Maybe I should have had you dress up too," Misako said to Rei.

Rei looked at Misako before returning to her book.

"So what are you cooking?" Nozomi asked. "It smells great."

Shinju beamed and started to explain what she was preparing for their dinner.

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"How did the Human Instrumentality Committee take it?" Fuyutsuki asked as his eyes drifted over Gendo's desk.

"Fortunately, most of Lorenz's ire was directed at the Russian representative," Gendo stated.

"Do you believe he had foreknowledge of Azazel? Do the rest of the Old Men?"

Behind his steepled fingers, Gendo frowned. "I would not presume. Clearly, they intend to use Azazel as a check on us, but I am uncertain that they fully realize the implication of such action, and what Azazel could become against them."

"A check against Seele? Who would dare?" Fuyutsuki's eyebrow raised as he studied the silver picture frame propped on Gendo's desk.

Gendo raised an eyebrow. "Their secrecy is not perfect."

Fuyutsuki gave a nod. That Gendo was in the position he was in was proof of that.

"I am disappointed in Dr. Akagi. There was a glaring blind spot in her analysis of Azazel's technical knowledge."

"Information on AT fields and Angels. They knew what they were going to fight. How did the Russians get it?"

Gendo smirked. "Intriguing. Nerv, Marduk, the UN, and even JSSDF are being probed, but..."

"You suspect they penetrated Seele?"

"Would it be wise to underestimate the Russians? Consider what they accomplished with a bare fraction of our funding. How did we miss them? Their Nerv branch doesn't even have a Magi."

"Well, their goals are different."

"Oh? The public presumes that Nerv's mission is to fight the Angels. Are we to make the same assumption with Azazel?"

Fuyutsuki chuckled. "Third Impact? With nuclear weapons? Rather crude."

"The good doctor's apprehension with regard to Director Beria should be caution enough."

"I trust our own agents are at work, but what shall we do in the meantime?"

Gendo's eyes went to the corner of his desk. "Nerv has been challenged. We cannot lose our purpose or our funding."

"Worrying about something as pedestrian as money?" Fuyutsuki asked with a slight smirk.

"We can no longer claim a monopoly. As it stands, we are the unproven technology."

"You think Azazel's solution would be palatable. In the long run?"

"The people out there.... if you told them that the Second Impact could have been avoided if you vaporized a city, ten cities, a country, would they?"

Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow.

"Do not let the veneer of materialistic complacency fool you, old friend. These people have lived through the deaths of billions. Humanity recovered by will and science, and now..."

"The threat returns?"

"Have you seen the interviews the Russians have been giving? Their Captain Zel'dovich, he is not being seen as a hero, but a man doing what has to be done." Gendo sighed. "People, especially those not in Japan, found... comfort in the decisiveness of the Azazel's action. They don't really care how the Angels are destroyed, only that they are."

"So we must make the case for Evangelion as the preferred alternative."

"Indeed. Once we show that the Angels can be destroyed without fallout..."

"Instead of picking between nuclear wasteland and planetary extinction, the choice becomes wasteland versus Evangelion." Fuyutsuki rubbed his chin. "I presume we will be... _allowed_ to sortie against the next angel."

"Do you think our influence with the UN has diminished that much?" Gendo idly asked. He adjusted his glasses. "The plan is for us to intercept the next angel, while Azazel provides cover, in case we fail."

Fuyutsuki's eyes went to the picture frame on the desk. "And so it comes to this."

"We have no other options."

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The meal finished the three girls retreated to the apartment's terrace.

"Really nice dinner. I think you cook as good as my sister Hikari," Nozomi complimented while Shinju gave her normal reaction.

"Yeah, I didn't even really notice that there was no meat," Shirane said.

"So, why are we out here?" Shinju asked as she handed out some miniature ice cream containers.

"The view is very pretty," Nozomi said looking out at the mountains and the smattering of lights from the Tokyo 3 suburbs. Beyond the mountain however... it was best not to think of the destruction.

"Anyway, your sisters are nice, but I'm not sure we can talk about everything around them. Misako's almost an adult."

"She does work at Nerv," Shinju pointed out.

"So does everyone around here, but yeah, she's nice, if a bit... exuberant."

"I can see why Rei and Shinju are so quiet," Shirane smirked.

"Oh?" Nozomi asked.

"Misako took all the family's sociability."

To Shirane's surprise Shinju laughed with Nozomi.

"It... it has taken some getting used to." Shinju smiled slightly.

"Used to? She's your sister."

"Oneesan only recently got transferred over here. Before then she worked at Nerv's First Branch in America."

"Oh, you didn't live with her?"

Shinju shook her head. "I was with a Tutor at the time."

"Why'd Nerv split you three up?" Nozomi asked.

Shinju lowered her head and chewed her lip.

"Sorry," Nozomi sighed. Even children knew, with Nerv there were some questions that you could not get answers for.

An awkward silence grew between the trio. Eventually, Nozomi turned to Shirane and broke it. "I still can't believe you like him," Nozomi said.

"Who?" Shinju asked as she poked at the cup of ice cream she was still finishing for dessert.

Shirane blushed.

"Some geek that's friends with her older brother," Nozomi teased.

"He's not a geek," Shirane pouted. "He's really smart, and into cool stuff."

"Military stuff, not girls. Besides you only like that stuff because he does," Nozomi explained.

Shinju quietly watched. It was interesting to see someone else get flustered.

"Like he'd want anything to do with some Elementary-schooler."

"Touji said he's not actually that popular with the girls," Shirane muttered.

"Oh, so you'd want to take some guy that can't get any girls his age?"

"It's only two grades, in a few years it won't make any difference."

"And by then you'll have grown up," Nozomi pointed out.

"At least you two have older sisters. You know how big you'll get."

"I hope I don't get Kodama's hips," Nozomi sighed.

"Well, what about you Shinji?"

The younger clone tilted her head.

"Misako's a pretty good guide on how you'll look when you get her age. What do you think about getting a figure like hers one day?"

Shinju blushed. "I... I guess it'll be.... nice."

"Afraid of your cuteness wearing off?" Nozomi smirked.

"Right, like our Shinju-chan can be anything other than cute."

"Awww... she's blushing again!" Shirane teased.

"Of course she is," Nozomi put an arm around Shinju who seemed torn between crying and running away. "It's okay. We're not making fun of you."

"Yeah, we do like you. Most girls are pretty stuck up around here, a lot of them are 'Daddy's Little Princess'. Complete brats," Shirane said.

Shinju blinked.

"But don't worry. A girl can be... big and still be cute," Nozomi stated.

"If anything that seems to make the guys melt faster," Shirane noted.

"So... you like any of the boys in our class?" Nozomi asked Shinju.

Shinju's stared blankly for a few seconds, and found herself mentally looking through her classmates. Most she only knew by name and had exchanged a few words with, some were even nice enough... She shook her head and stopped that line of thought. "No... not really."

"Oh? So no one's your taste?"

Shinju paused and decided to go with the safe answer. "No, none of them."

"So what do you like in a boy?" Nozomi asked.

Shinju winced at her blunder.

"Delicate little thing like you, I'm betting you'd like a big guy, strong. Athletic," Shirane guessed.

Feeling her cheeks and ears begin to burn, Shinju felt her sense of familiarity go adrift. She had never even considered romance, male or female. Part of her did wonder what it would be like to have someone strong, someone that could protect her...

"Are you trying to set Shinju-chan up with your brother?" Nozomi asked.

"Gah, No!"

"Anyway, I think she'd want someone more sensitive. A guy that would write her poetry or maybe play music for her." Nozomi turned to Shinju.

Nervously swallowing, Shinju felt that the truth could not hurt. "Well... I do like music."

Nozomi smirked to Shirane. "See, she wants a sensitive guy."

"Nonsense. Come on Shinju-chan, I know you. You had fun tonight. You like cooking and cleaning, right?"

"Well... I don't mind it." Shinju hoped that her blush was not getting worse.

"What do you want to do when you grow up?"

Shinju froze. Thoughts of her future were as blank as those of... companionship. "I... I don't know. I'm just happy to have my sisters... back."

"Family's important to you," Shirane nodded. "So what would you rather do? Spend all your time at home with your family or deal with some kind of job?"

Shinju blinked. "What would I do then?"

"Well, what do you think housewives do all day?"

"This isn't proving your case," Nozomi reminded.

"I'm getting to that," Shirane glared. "Now Shinju, if we're imagining you as a homemaker you're going to need a husband. What kind of husband do you want? Some sappy sensitive wimp or someone strong that'll make sure you'll be provided for?"

"I have to pick?" Shinju innocently asked.

Shirane grinned. "Oh... so that's your game. You want it all!"

"No... that's...." Shinju's blush grew to where she had to lower her head. "I didn't mean it like that."

"So you don't want two husbands?" Shirane teased, while Shinju nervously shivered.

"Shirane! Don't be mean!" Nozomi scolded while she comforting the timid girl. "Shinju doesn't mean it like that. She just wants to have a nice husband, not some sort of... harem."

"Please... this is embarrassing. Can't we let it end?" Shinju managed to utter.

Her amusement abating, Shirane's face took a more serious tone. "Awww... I'm sorry. I'm just teasing you."

Shinju looked up at the ponytailed girl and Shirane almost winced at how the girl's crimson eyes reflected the city lights.

"I mean, we're just having fun. You know imagining the future," Shirane explained.

Shinju tilted her head. Between school and training in the Geo Front she had little time to thing about the... future. Though the concept now loomed over her mind. Doctor Akagi had not mentioned the possibility of going back for either Shinju or Misako. Shinju did wonder if clones of their old bodies could be made, or if the transfer process only worked with the "special" clone bodies.

"What are you thinking of, Shinju-chan?" Nozomi asked.

"The future," the young clone said with a little shrug. "It's kind of hard to think about."

"Yes, the war's not helping either," Shirane frowned. "We don't know what will happen in the next attack. Sure the government can kill the enemy but..."

"Maybe this time you'll stay in your shelter," Nozomi glared.

Shirane lowered her head.

Shinju chewed her lip. Evangelion was an alternative. Instead of breaking an AT field by brute force it – she – could neutralize it and then fight the angel herself. Fighting... scared her, she could do the simulations, but those felt like a fancy videogame. Shinju once again wished that her Onechan's Evangelion would get repaired faster. "Someone... someone has to do it though. We need to stop the Angels."

"What is Nerv doing here? I mean... why build a city to fight Angels if you're just going to nuke them?" Nozomi asked

Shinju turned away.

"Sorry. It'd be classified; it always is," Nozomi sighed.

"It's your sister right? She's an officer in Nerv. She told you something?" Shirane asked.

"I can't say." Shinju's ears burned at the sense of betrayal.

"Aww...."

"You're just looking for something to tell Ken so he'll think you're cool." Nozomi teased.

"I... I can say this much. The people behind this... they're doing their best. They won't fail you..."

"You mean us?"

"Yes..." Shinju blushed.

Nozomi tried to be skeptical, but that had to be a slip of the tongue. She could see Shinju hearing tidbits about Nerv from her Oneesan, but why would a 12 year old girl be privy to secrets herself?

"Thanks." Shirane bowed her head a bit. "For telling us... what you could."

Shinju nodded.

"So... what do you think about swim class starting up?" Shirane asked after trying to come up with a new subject.

"Should be fun." Nozomi turned to Shinju. "Do you know how to swim?"

Shinju shook her head. "No, but Oneechan says she'll teach me."

"That sounds nice."

"I guess, but I'm a bit worried."

"About not learning?" Shirane asked.

"No... getting a burn." Shinju frowned. "That's why Oneechan only swims in indoor pools."

"Yes, I can see that being a problem."

"On the plus side, if your face got burned no one would know," Shirane smirked.

"Not nice," Shinju pouted as the door to the terrace slid open.

"What's not nice?" Misako asked.

"Shirane made fun of Shinju's blushing," Nozomi said.

"She'll grow out of it."

"Really?" Shinju asked.

"You're meeting a lot of new people, a lot more than when you just had private tutors." Misako smiled as she affectingly played with one of the Shinju's bows.

"Were we being too loud?" Nozomi politely asked.

"No, I just came in to tell you that your sister Kodama called. She's driving over to pick you up, should be over in a few minutes.

"Awww... already?" Shirane whined.

"It's a school night." Misako leaned on the door frame and, looking at the view, regretted her decision to talk to the girls before getting another beer. "Don't worry, I'm sure you guys can have a sleepover soon enough. Won't that be fun?" Shinju's two friends brightened while Shinju tilted her head in a near state of incomprehension that tugged at the older clone's heart.

The door chime then went off, and Misako herded the three girls into the apartment. Rei, at her customary seat in the living room, looked up from her reading and watched the girls return.

"It was fun," Shinju said while Misako answered the door.

"I'm Misako; you must be Horaki Kodama," the tallest Ayanami greeted.

A woman about Misako's apparent age stepped into the entranceway. She had fewer freckles than her younger sisters and wore a pair of slim business-like glasses. Her hair was up in a prim bun and she was dressed in a Nerv uniform and carried a slim briefcase at her side. Entering the kitchen, she had a slight smile as she spotted Rei and Shinju. "So you've got two of the runts as well," Kodama noted.

"Yeah, but it helps that they're real quiet." Misako shrugged.

"Bookish little sisters do make things more convenient," Kodama gave a mock sigh. "I was very disappointed when Nozomi didn't follow in her big sisters' footsteps and become a Class Representative."

"Why would I volunteer to be a flunky for my teachers? The power you get isn't even enough to go tipsy with, let alone mad."

"It's better to build up politicking experience and backstabbing skills now. The business-world will eat you alive, if you're not prepared."

"I'm in elementary school!" Nozomi whined.

"Yes, and by the time you get to High School, it'll be too late."

"Don't you work for Nerv, not the business world?" Misako asked.

Kodama's eyes went to the red jacket on the back of a chair. "You're Tactical right?"

"Yes, you could say that. I'm Captain Ayanami, head of Tactical."

"I heard they had gotten a new chief. Congratulations." Kodama inclined her head.

"I head Section Four: Procurement."

Misako smiled. Nerv had a habit of hiring young geniuses. However, Misako's mind did go back to wondering exactly why she had been hired. There certainly was no shortage of people with actual tactical experience, especially after the Second Impact. "Ah yes, the accountants Nerv hired to browbeat our suppliers and contractors."

"Tokyo 3 is Nerv's city and it needs a constant stream of... equipment," Kodama thinly stated.

"Quite right." Misako noted that Kodama had to know about Project E or at least its current incarnation. It would be hard to keep Evangelions secret from the very people buying all their support equipment

"Well, I've gotta take these girls home," Kodama said as Shirane and Nozomi went over to her.

"Thanks for having us over. Your cooking was delicious, Shinju," Amazingly, Nozomi's statement only caused a slight blush in the younger Ayanami

"Yeah, it was fun," Shirane agreed. "We'll do a sleepover next time."

"Hopefully at your house, Suzuhara-chan," Kodama idly noted

"Thank you for coming over," Shinju said as they left.

Misako locked the door and turned around to face Shinju. "Well, you look happy."

"I do?"

"You're smiling." Misako exaggerated slightly. While the pre-teen was not outright grinning, there was a definite expression of contentment.

"It was... nice."

"Not much experience with friends?" Misako asked as they went back to the kitchen.

Shinju stared up at Misako.

"It's okay. I had some real problems when I was your age." Misako frowned when Shinju kept staring at her. It looked like Rei's conversational habits were rubbing off. "I was born in '86. I was fourteen during the Second Impact."

Shinju nodded.

"I was... close to it. After I was... rescued I didn't speak for a while. It wasn't until university that I started to reach out to people. Do you understand?"

"No," Shinju softly stated.

"What I mean is that I know what it's like. To be in your own world, to be alone," Misako reached out and hugged the small girl. "But you don't have to be alone."

"But I'm not. I have you and Oneechan," Shinju blinked. "And I've got Shirane and Nozomi... and Akagi-san... and Father."

Misako raised an eyebrow slightly at the last part. "Well, I'm very happy that you've been settling in. I know this is hard for you. It's been hard for me, and I'm... not as bad off."

Leaning into the embrace, Shinju simply nodded.

"It's great that you have people you care about." Misako released the hug and went to the living room, where Rei had put her book down and was watching her sisters.

Shinju took her place next to Rei. "That's why it's so important that Oneechan and I do our best?"

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"Shamshel has crossed final perimeter." Misako looked up to the upper tier of the command tower. It was somewhat jarring to see the three JSSDF generals sitting up front while the Vice-Commander and Commander sat behind them. Apparently, they had sat in this arrangement during the previous attack.

"Status of Unit 01?" Gendo flatly asked.

"It's being moved to the launching bays, will arrive in thirty seconds," Maya said from her counsel.

"Azazel fighter squadron is on station. Captain Zel'dovich reports having a clear shot," another Nerv technician flatly stated.

"Hopefully, we will not require his services." General Yubari noted.

In the shadow of his interlaced fingers, Gendo smirked. He had to cancel a meeting to be here, but being absent for Evangelion's first sortie would be unacceptable.

"Unit has reached the launch bay," Maya announced.

"Shinju, neutralize the enemy's AT field and fire the rifle just like you practiced," Misako ordered the Fourth Child. "Are you ready?"

Shinju's fingers gripped the controls. "Yes."

"Launch!"

Shinju felt herself pressed into the cockpit as the Evangelion shot up. The armored doors to the lift-building dropped down and she motioned the Unit forward. "Aim at the center of the target, switch, aim at the center of the target," she chanted, cradling the immense rifle.

"Develop an AT-field according to the plan, okay?" Misako asked.

"Yes!" Shinju shouted as she rushed around the corner of the lift building and lowered her gun. Several blocks away, the large purple Angel rose up at her. It was longer than her Unit was tall and had two stubby arms that extended from a long roughly tubular body. Two long glowing purple tendrils extended from either arm.

Aiming at the Angel, she depressed the trigger, and then held it down. The explosions kicked up a large dust cloud that obscured the target.

"Idiot, the enemy is hidden by the explosions' smoke!" Misako cried while Shinju kept firing.

General Yubari raised an eyebrow. The tactical commander should be more concerned about giving orders than commentary.

Eventually, Shinju stopped and, panting, she waited for the smoke to clear.

As the seconds passed without any orders from Captain Ayanami, Yubari's ire grew. A purple whip then shot out and destroyed the rifle, sliced through the lift-building, and knocked the Unit to the ground.

"I'll send you a spare rifle!" Misako ordered, while Shinju sat stunned in the street. She looked up and saw the angel looming over her.

"Belay that!" Yubari barked. "Shinju! Get moving! Two steps back, then one step on your left! Get some cover"

Misako's mouth opened in shock

Shinju however got Unit 01 to its feet and jumped to the side and put a few buildings between itself and the angel.

"Good! They make lousy cover but they'll conceal you from it. Run down the street, keep it from knowing exactly where you are."

Shinju's heart pounded as she wheeled around the Angel. As it floated forward, Shamshel's whips razed a wide swath of buildings

"Shinju, there's a weapon building just behind you, get another rifle," Misako stated.

"Just don't spray mindlessly," Yubari cautioned as Unit 01 went up from its crouch and reaching back grabbed another pallet rifle.

However, Shamshel used this chance to close in on the Evangelion. Shinju fired three ineffective shots at the angel before its tendrils whipped in. Unit 01 used its gun to bat away one of the tendrils while the other one cut its power umbilical.

"Unit 01 is on internal batteries! Five minute capacity left" Makoto shouted from his console.

Misako's attention went from the battle screens to the giant countdown on the left display wall.

For the second time, Shinju's pallet rifle broke apart and she reached out and grabbed the thrashing tentacle. Thanks to Unit 01's AT field, it burned the hand armor instead of slicing it apart. The pain was intense. For the pilot it felt like it was her hand holding the burning chord.

General Yubari's blood boiled at her shocked, inactive face. "You've got it where you want it kid! Yank it forward and draw your knife. Kill the bastard!"

Shinju's eyes changed. A cool feeling washed over her as her eyes narrowed and the emotion drained from her face. Her left shoulder pylon opened and she cross drew her progressive knife. As this happened she yanked with Unit 01's left arm and leapt forward.

Shamshel twisted to one side and fell forward. Its free tentacle whipped over Unit 01's body burning and tearing the armor.

_Open your heart Open your heart. _Mentally chanting, Shinju focused her will on the enemy. The pain grew but it was her pain, her responsibility. Landing on the Angel's body the two tumbled to the ground.

Ignoring the urban devastation, Shinju released her burnt hand and grabbed one of the Angel's stubby arms. Tugging the Angel towards her with one arm she stabbed forward with the other, right at the core.

Sparking, her progressive blade hit Shamshel's AT-Field. Her teeth clenched as the Angel tried to flay Unit 01's back and limbs Her eyes however, remained flat and focused. Failure was unthinkable. Her AT field sprung forth and neutralized the Angel's and her blade shot forward. "Open your heart!" she screamed as the blade pierced the Angel's core.

Shamshel shuddered at the mortal wound, but Shinju was not done. She tightened her grip on the Angel's arm while drawing up with her progressive knife. The vibrating blade sliced through the rest of the core and through the top of the Angel's head. Fluid sprayed as Shamshel 's head was bisected, and its tentacles stopped their thrashing. Once free Shinju flipped around the Unit 01's knife hand and ran it across the angel's "shoulders". The Angel's head fell onto Unit 01 in two wet slabs of... meat.

Breathing heavily, Shinju rose Unit 01 to its feet. Never taking her eyes off of the corpse, she flicked some Angelic blood off her knife while she walked a block to the nearest power-station. She smiled thinly as she plugged into the Tokyo 3 power grid. She still had over two minutes left.

"Pilot Ayanami here. Enemy status?" she asked as she walked back to the Angel's corpse.

The Command Center staff stared at Unit 01. Bright red Angelic blood had splattered over the Evangelions body, save for two long streaks of blood on Unit 01's chest where Shamshel's head had landed and slid down. Knife still clutched in one hand, Unit 01 looked down at the angel's body.

"No trace of Pattern Blue, or enemy AT field." Maya eventually stated, once her stomach had settled back under control.

"You-" Misako swallowed. "You did very good, kiddo."

"Recall Azazel. Thankfully we won't be needing further assistance from them today," General Abukuma sighed with relief.

General Ishikari turned back to face Commander Ikari. "Fair enough Ikari. Your Evangelions are most impressive. Your Pilot as well. Impressive work on her part."

"However," General Yubari's gaze went down to the level below them and focused on Captain Ayanami. "There were severe deficiencies today."

"And not just your own reliance on ineffective weapons," Abukuma noted. "We would have though that previous experience would have shown Nerv which weapons could and could not harm the enemy."

Flushing slightly, Misako turned away from the top tier. "Shinju proceed to lift-building 23."

"Did I do okay?" Shinju asked as she slid her progressive knife back into the scabbard in her shoulder pylon.

"We'll have to hose off Unit 01, but yes."

Shinju winced at Misako's tone. "Oneesan, did I do something wrong?"

"No..." Misako lowered her head. "I did."

Shinju blinked. She tried to think of a response but none came to her. She though as she was lowered into the Geo Front and Unit 01 was moved back to the Evangelion cages. The battle was.... intense. The Evangelion deactivated and the LCL darkened back to an amber color and the displays cut out. Sitting in the dark fluid, her lips formed into a slight smile. "Oneechan is right. To Pilot you have to open your heart," she said before the LCL drained, the plug ejected, and the hatch opened.

End Chapter 1

Author's Note:

This is for the real nitpicky people that bristle at the 180 million megawatt figure. There is some confusion over megawatt versus kilowatt. The sub uses kilowatt and Japan's current electrical usage is at about 110 million kilowatts. While some other sources use megawatt. Now I can see a 70 million kilowatt energy increase but not a thousand fold energy increase. Really, any increase at all is amazing in light of the Second Impact.

However, if I were to use kilowatt figure instead of megawatt, that would reduce the energy needed by a factor of a thousand. So a bomb of half a kiloton TNT equivalent would do it. For reference, Little Boy was between 13 and 18 kilotons. Yes this will change how the Ramiel fight goes.

Another factor is my assumption on the Watts versus Joules front (saying that the blast energy will be on the AT field for a second). If we went with energy application time being a tenth of a second, then you'd need a bomb a tenth of the strength as before and so on. So this is me being very conservative here in required bomb strength.

I'd like to remind my readers that this is a story with Evangelions in it and while I will try to keep the physics as sane as possible, I can't make any promises.

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray, Kevin Hammel, Ikarus, and Jerry Starfire. Pale Wolf was particular help in coming up with the idea behind the battle.

Now that I've got a chapter under my belt I'd like to note a few NGE fics that I've particularly enjoyed.

"Children of an Elder God" by John Biles and Rod M

"Neo Genus Jusenkyo" by Kevin Hammel

"Shinji and Warhammer 40k" by Charles Bhepin

And of course "I was a Teenage Dummy Plug" by Foxboy


	2. Core Competencies

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh Temple

Naturally, I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. So here's the disclaimer:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

.com/

Temporary Backup Site.

.com/fic/

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Two: Core Competencies

"I don't even know why I was hired," Misako sighed. "Sure, I was the best in school, but I don't have any practical experience, and it showed. So why me? Why did Ikari hire me as tactical chief?"

Ritsuko looked up from her notes. "Because Nerv did not want anyone with preconceived notions. The idea was that Angel combat would be new. It's not like anyone knows how to order Evangelions to fight giant monsters. They thought that previous experience wouldn't be much of a help."

"That's a load of crap," Misako spat. "You saw Yubari. That old general knew exactly how to fight Shamshel."

Ritsuko lowered her gaze. "His advice wasn't very complicated. It was 'go and stab it'. You could have thought up that."

"But I didn't. So, why me? It's like the commander didn't give any thought to hiring me."

"What do you expect? You might not have any tactical experience but at least you have training. Think about your superiors, the ones making the strategic decisions."

"Yes, a professor of metaphysical biology, his former protégée, and a bunch of UN bureaucrats," Misako sighed. "That makes things worse for me doesn't it?"

Ritsuko frowned. "So you heard about the reorganization, then."

"They're making me the scapegoat!"

"Your performance was lacking. What do you think would have happened if Yubari hadn't stepped in? Hadn't done your job?"

Misako glared.

"Shinju could have died because you were too hesitant. She needed orders." Ritsuko returned to her work. "Frankly, you got off easy."

Fingering her necklace, Misako's rage abated and she gave a short nod. "Yes, I know that. The only reason I wasn't dismissed was so the Commander could hold onto his power, show that Nerv was still... independent." Her voice, subdued, sounded nearly identical to Rei's.

Ritsuko frowned. There was more to it than that, but... "Yes, the Commander knew that your replacement would be picked by the UN, and Nerv would have lost tactical control of Evangelion."

"Like we don't have that now?"

Ritsuko smiled wanly. "JSSDF is providing strategic and logistical oversight. Technically, their role has not changed. We simply lost the independence that we assumed we would be getting."

"And Azazel?"

"Well yes, they're in the same boat as us." Ritsuko laughed bitterly. "The Russians wanted UN funding, but the UN is just as concerned about a force centered around advanced nuclear weapons as they are about Evangelion."

"So once again the JSSDF wins."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "If by winning you mean having to wrangle both Nerv and Azazel, then yes. Given the diplomatic mess they got forced into, I do not envy them."

"At least we don't have to deal with the Chinese. They like it when nuclear weapons get used on our soil."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "But they like the Russians developing advanced nuclear weapons and then deploying them here? Between here, their bases in Siberia and their bases in their 'near abroad allies' to the far east they've got China boxed in."

"That may be why the Security Council put pressure on Azazel. To bell the cat."

"Perhaps. It doesn't explain the... mirth the Americans have been showing."

"Those cowboys? Have they finally made a decision on how many Evangelions they'll be building? I'd like to know when I'll be getting another Unit."

"You don't get it? Nukes work, and we're talking about the nation that started this whole nuclear mess. You think they'll let the Russians beat them?"

"Great. So you think they'll get into a pissing contest with Azazel instead of building more Evangelions?"

"Well, we already have Unit 02."

"And when will Third Branch hand that over?" Misako asked.

"The Commander is working on it, but it looks like... they're holding it back to see how well we can perform."

"That's stupid. We'd work better with another functional Unit."

"What reason for keeping our forces split makes more sense?"

Misako sighed. "No wonder they think Nerv's a bunch of screw-ups. All this time and money, and a bunch of Russians in a rusty boat can kill the things with Cold War missiles."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "Actually, the Moskva IIB is a very advanced weapon."

"Compared to a giant robot?"

Ritsuko nodded her head in defeat.

"Back to the Russians? How could Ikari have agreed to their demands?"

"He doesn't have much choice. Yes, Evangelion works, and works with less collateral damage than those 'Angel Busters', but the UN isn't going to throw away a proven alternative."

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh, the Naval Infantry company?"

"Yes. How could he let that happen. I mean we're going to be guarded by Russian soldiers? And if you think that they're really Naval Infantry..."

Ritsuko chuckled. "Blame the Third Child's death. The UN was convinced that the Pilots were not adequately protected. In that moment we lost a quarter of our compliment."

"But..."

"Oh?" Ritsuko smiled. "Do you want to tell the Security Council that the Third didn't die? I'm sure the Commander will love that."

"We really have to keep Gehirn 's test tube baby project a secret?"

Ritsuko stared at Misako for several seconds. "Yes."

"The Commander's really paranoid, isn't he? Have fun keeping the reason for our medical testing secret from our bodyguards."

"Fortunately, I can work around that." Ritsuko tapped her clipboard.

"I liked it better when the UN forgot that we technically worked for them."

Ritsuko smiled thinly in response. "Anyway, it's unfortunate that the Security Council found their spines, but there you have it."

"But the Russians?"

"Oh you didn't hear? Azazel's a Special Duty Organization now."

Misako snorted. "Great, so the UN is playing coy with Azazel too."

"Forcing them to guard the Pilots to their rivaling weapons is... fitting. It also sends a clear message to Nerv."

"Meanwhile Azazel gets their fighter wings assigned to a Nerv airbase."

Ritsuko smiled. "That fits. Azazel watches our Pilots, while we watch their nukes."

"Right, save that the Admiral Kuznetsov hasn't actually left."

Ritsuko nodded.

"Which I can't blame them, though, the fighting causes a lot of damage, and a mobile airbase is handy. Of course, they still have their escorts, and you can bet that includes a whole mess of their submarine fleet."

"So, everyone gets shafted and reminded that they're subordinate to the UN."

"Sounds about right. Though, I think the Russian pilots will be happy to be off the Admiral Kuznetsov and at a base with better bunks and a bigger runway." Ritsuko grinned. "Look at it this way. It's not like you'd be crammed for space with your guards. A whole regiment of Russian marines could live in that apartment block of yours."

"Not that I'd notice, anyway, will all the training the generals will be putting me through."

"Would you rather it was Azazel putting you through the wringer?"

Misako sighed.

"I noticed you're not complaining about the other training proposals."

"It's a good idea. Shinju fought well, but..."

"She and Rei could use some more formal training, and since the Evangelions are thought-controlled, things they learn outside of the plug will help their piloting skills." Ritsuko leaned back in her chair. "Let's be honest, here. Nerv focused simply on getting Evangelion to function. We only recently managed to get them... reliably functional."

"Yeah, we didn't put in any real effort into learning how to use them."

"That's going to have to change." Ritsuko took off her glasses. "So Technical Division did its job. Tactical has functional Evangelions and Pilots. It's Tactical's job now."

"Gee, thanks," Misako frowned. "I'm worried about what Yubari wants to do. He actually complimented the basic training for the Evangelions."

Ritsuko's left eyebrow raised.

"Walking, plugging in power cables, basic gunnery. He thought Shinju's familiarity with Unit 01 was impressive, given she'd only been piloting for two weeks."

"And this is a problem?"

"The problem is me. Again." Misako stared at the floor. "This is bad. They think that I'm a nepotism pick. An inexperienced 'whiz-kid' that replaced some other 'wiz-kid' that went and got herself and a Pilot killed."

Ritsuko swung her glasses a bit before putting them back on. "Technically..."

Misako raised her eyes to stare at the scientist.

"You'll just have to hold yourself to the same standards that you're holding the Pilots. Failure is a luxury they can't have; why should you?"

"There's always Azazel."

"I'd prefer it if Tokyo 3 were not nuked." Ritsuko sighed at the clone's depression. "Look, take Yubari's training, and if Azazel offers, take theirs too. We can always use more data on how the Russians think. Meanwhile work on how to turn that training into something practical, because that's your problem."

"I have been thinking of overhauling our wargames."

"That's good. Like?"

"Well, right now we just have Shinju shooting at fake-angels when they pop up. There needs to be more mobility than that. I mean... do we have any long-range weapons that would actually work?"

"Full mobility? The Evas are expensive to sortie."

"Can't you just have the Magi whip up a better simulation? One where Shinju can do more than just stand and shoot?"

"Well, it would take a higher processing factor."

"And while we're on Technical Division's screw-ups: why don't we have Unit 00 functional?" Misako's red eyes nearly sparkled.

"The commander did manage to secure funding to reactivate it."

"But?"

"The Prototype has had problems. If it fails again..."

Misako laughed. "Well, you'll just have to use your big brain to make sure it doesn't fail. I can't let you get my little sister hurt."

Ritsuko chuckled. All three Ayanamis received the same medical procedures; all three were equally replaceable. Though, Ritsuko could appreciate the sentiment, especially since it made for more stable clones. The scientist flipped her clipboard closed. That reminded her...

The bottle-blonde cleared her throat. "Misako, I've been going over your blood-work."

"I've been good. No meat. None at all!"

"Yes, but there's other things you should be more careful about."

Misako narrowed her eyes. "Oh, come on. How can you even measure that? I thought alcohol broke down in the body after a couple hours!"

"Why do you think I stagger your daily physicals at different hours?"

Misako glared.

"Do you want make this difficult? You were just complaining about being seen as an unprofessional joke, and now you're angry at me for telling you to control your drinking?"

The clone's expression shifted into a pout.

"This is serious. I don't want you to screw up, and I don't want to risk trying to stuff your mind into yet another replacement body. Not that the Commander would let me do it if you drunk yourself to death."

"So, how much am I allowed?"

"I'd prefer you keep it under three a day." Ritsuko noted Misako's hopeful expression. "Cans. Three. A day."

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen."

"It's that or you start taking a pill that will make you get violently ill every time you consume alcohol," Ritsuko mildly commented.

"And why would I take such a pill?"

"It'd be mixed in with your daily medication. I have my own pharmacy and pill press, so it's not like you'd be able to tell which one it is. I suppose you could stop taking all of your pills, and within the week the UN will appoint the next Tactical commander."

"You can't do this to me," Misako said in a hollow voice.

"Sure, I can," Ritsuko made a note. It looked like Misako more resistant to certain medications than the other two. The doctor wondered if it was due to the more mature physiology or a difference in personality. "Your body is Nerv property. Just be glad I'm not forcing you to go cold turkey."

"You bitch."

"You're showing your age, Misa-chan." Ritsuko underlined that note. She would make the dosage changes tonight. "This was a wakeup call. We can't be complacent. Do you know what happens if we screw up?"

"Humanity dies?"

"Worse. We lose our funding."

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Silently, Rei and Shinju walked down the sidewalk, their steps nearly synchronized. The shorter girl turned her head and looked at her sister's neutral face for a few moments. "We are not going to the Geo Front," she observed in an even tone.

Rei tilted her head in acknowledgement. "Correct. We were ordered to return home."

Shinju nodded and their silent walking resumed.

This time, Rei was the one to study her sibling. Her expression was calm, vaguely thoughtful, contained, reassuringly identical. It was not like the Captain's. The extroversion of that self disturbed Rei.

Noticing her hair band, Rei's frown deepened. Rei understood why she wore it; Rei was less clear on why she had been given it in the first place. However, Rei supposed she was allowed some indulgences. "You fought well."

Shinju stopped walking and lowered her head. "Thank you... Oneechan. It was your advice that did it."

Rei took a step backwards and grabbed the younger girl's hand and pulled her forward. Her lips twitched downwards in a frown. "You reacted much the same way when the Commander complimented your performance. If you are experiencing problems, I suggest you talk to Dr. Akagi ."

"No, I like it... It's just... thank you." Shinju paused to breathe and let her cheeks cool down. "I'm happy that you said it. It surprised me."

Rei kept her grip on Shinju's hand. Her statement appeared logical. Rei's statement would have been unexpected and happiness was an appropriate reaction to fulfilling her purpose.

Silence returned for several minutes. "I hope Unit 00 is repaired soon," Shinju eventually said. "It must hurt... being without a-" She hesitated and gave up trying to find a better word. "-purpose."

"You understand," Rei stated as they rounded a corner.

Shinju blushed and looked down the final block towards their apartment building. The normally empty parking lot was swarming with vehicles and men wearing various uniforms. The tan and red uniforms of Nerv tactical and the black suits of Section 2 were outnumbered by the camouflage pattern of men in battledress with automatic rifles slung over their shoulders. Some were standing on a perimeter with their weapons within easy access while the majority were busy unloading a group of large trucks.

Shinju looked to Rei and gave a slight nod. She understood why they were sent home instead of to the Geo Front "Azazel?" she asked, noting that the soldier's weapons were not Japanese issue.

"They have been assigned to guard us," Rei said as they strode forward.

One of the Nerv Tactical personnel separated out of the crowd and walked towards them. A small group of camouflaged men followed the lavender woman. "I'm sorry, but the Commander decided that Azazel's forces didn't have to wait. They could move in as soon as they were ready. This is Captain Yuli Sakharov." Misako pointed to a large Russian in a black beret with a moustache that was slightly too bushy for his mid-twenties face. "He commands one of the... Naval Infantry Companies attached to Azazel. He and his men have been assigned to guard us."

"It is an honor to assist our comrades in glorious battle against humanity's enemies," Captain Sakharov barked in stern, if quite passable, Japanese.

The thinner of the two men behind him coughed.

The Ayanamis blinked roughly in sequence of age.

"Ah... yes, that Russian humor I was warned about," Misako remarked.

"Humor like all dangerous things is best left in the hands of military professionals," Sakharov gravely said. "Never fear, Captain! I've put my best men on task of guarding your sisters." He pointed to the two men behind him. "Lieutenant Pyotr Kurchatov and Lieutenant Igor Khariton. Death brings them less fear than failure."

"The latter invariably follows the former," the lanky officer dryly noted. He turned to Rei. "I am Pyotr . My platoon is at your service. If it suits you, we shall discuss how to organize your protective detail."

"Understood," Rei nodded.

Several centimeters taller than Pyotr, the other officer was a a tall man himself, bigger in the shoulders and chest. The large, muscular man had a broad unusually warm, for a Russian officer, face. A shaved-bald head gleamed under a beret that looked too small for his frame. Similarly, the Kalashnikov slung over his shoulder seemed diminutive. He crouched down, forcing his gaze level with Shinju's. "You did good thing," he softly, but with a deep, gravely voice. His accent was thicker than the other officers'. "Killing angels, is full time job, no?"

Shinju nodded.

"So much blood!" Igor chuckled, at the memory of the Angel's dismemberment and decapitation. "You did well!"

The Fourth Child looked up and, with neutral eyes, smiled slightly

Igor's grin grew and threatened to spilt his stubbly head in two. He leaned forward. "We are killers," he whispered conspiratorially.

"We make good team! Don't worry," he said in a boisterous tone. "You protect us inside robot. We protect you outside robot."

Misako rolled her eyes slightly. Sakharov was right; Igor did seem to have the right temperament to head Shinju's detail.

"That's good," Shinju replied.

"Too much talking," Pyotr noted to Rei, who tilted her head in response.

"You see what I have to deal with?" Misako sighed to Sakharov.

"I'm sure having plenty of 'older brothers' to watch them is sure to help," Sakharov laughed. "Come, my men can finish unloading while we talk inside."

Misako nodded.

Shinju watched as Igor rose to his full height and started following two paces, and just to the side, behind her. Soon. they crossed the busy parking lot, and arrived at the apartment building.

"Concrete is good." Sakharov patted the side. "More than enough room for us. Each of you will get a platoon detailed to your defense, while the other two platoons will specialize in defending this position, Geo Front and company support."

"Why are we on the surface, Ma'am? Wouldn't the Geo Front give better protection?" Pyotr asked.

"The apartments down there are too small, and it's a bit of a tradition for the Tactical head to be here." Misako explained. "It's kind of like sending the Pilots to school. The three of us don't have to ever leave the Geo Front. Really."

"You want a better life for your sisters?" Sakharov asked as they walked to the elevator.

Misako looked off to the side where a Nerv work-crew was maneuvering some bulky equipment "Yes, but there are some changes in place. In light of Azazel's... tactics we are cutting a shaft into one of the access tunnels that run under the subbasement."

"Good, good, access is important." Sakharov nodded. He looked around the building's courtyard. "Yes, not bad."

"Well, I'm sure we can iron out the details over dinner. Shinju makes some great dumplings."

"Thank you," Shinju blushed.

"Don't be bashful!" Igor said, giving Shinju a pat on the back. "Cooking and killing. We'll make a proper Russian wife out of you yet, once you get strong enough to chop wood."

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With a suspicious eye, Captain Zel'dovich walked around his Su-33. Just below the cockpit on the left side were seven airplane silhouettes and one slanted golden oval, a halo. After he completed a few circuits he strode back to the waiting maintenance officer.

"Don't worry. I didn't let those Nippon techs touch your baby," stated Chief Petty Officer Ivan Zarechny, the head of Azazel's maintenance unit.

"Good. They can keep the barracks, tarmacs, and runways in great shape but..."

"Yes, they'd be great at running a hotel," Ivan said as they walked out of the hanger. Once they were in a safe location he pulled a cigarette packet out of his coveralls.

Andrei took one of the offered cigarettes. "Oh, they can keep their shiny Attack VTOLs running, but that's easy. These modern planes have no soul, no... personality."

"Yes. Personality." Ivan inhaled, remembering the hassle that came with simply inspecting a Lyulka turbofan's inner shaft, and that was an easy procedure when compared with inspecting the high pressure compressor disks. He looked at his cigarette thoughtfully.

"At least we've got some proper support. now," Zel'dovich sarcastically said looking up into the sky. Yakov was there, leading one of the new Azazel wings on CAP (combat air patrol). Zel'dovich understood the reason to have constant air coverage, but he wanted to be the next one to kill an Angel.

"You don't like the MiG-31s?" Ivan smirked.

"You're only smiling because you don't have to maintain those hypersonic pigs."

"They're only hypersonic if you don't mind structural and engine damage. Besides, they make for good patrol aircraft."

"Nevermind that strapping an Angel Buster to them really hurts their flight performance."

"It's not like they'd let us simply nuke the thing a few hundred kilometers out." Andrei turned. "Oh, what have you found out, now."

"Would you like to see a magic trick?"

Andrei's eyebrows raised. "Oh? The last time you made a pair of white swans appear."

"The Tu-160 is a pretty plane."

"Yes, it looks great on a poster," Zel'dovich grumbled, but it was true with their antiflash white paint and pointed elegant bodies they were very striking planes. The technological and destructive power they represented was also nice.

"Follow me. It just arrived today." Ivan said, leading the captain through the sprawling base.

"What is it?"

"Have you ever wondered just why the runways are so ridiculously big here?" Ivan asked as they climbed up one of the flight control buildings, and up a couple flights of stairs. "They're not just long but insanely wide."

"Yes, you could land three Mriya's side by side on them." Zel'dovich referring to the An-225. Arguably one of the largest planes in the world. It was the heaviest of transport planes... until now.

"Funny you should say that." Ivan smirked as Andrei stared at a... plane parked on a far off tarmac. "Strangely enough, by my guess it's got three times the wingspan of an An-225 its fuselage is about the same length... "

Nodding, Andrei gave a low whistle at the immense black aircraft. A 240 meter wingspan was on the conservative side, and it had to be at least that long.. "Measuring from the nose tip to tail tip, sure, but it's a flying wing. The fuselage, such as it is, is only, what sixty meters long?"

"Probably."

"And that's just from the nose to the back of the... is that a launch bay?"

Ivan nodded. "Pretty big space. What do you think it's designed to transport?"

"It's open. They don't just want to transport them." Andrei shook his head.

"Crazy Nipponese. You think they'll really want to paradrop those robots?"

"Why not? If you're going to make a plane big enough to carry the damn things..."

"Jealous?"

Andrei laughed. "Of that pig? I'd be amazed if it can fly. I can count just four turbofans and only eight assisted takeoff rockets."

"There's a lot of wing area."

"Enough to carry one of those robots?" Andrei shook his head. "Is there any limit to the money these fools have?"

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"Target is moving, Pattern Blue intensifying," Makoto stated from his console.

"Do we have visual?" Captain Ayanami asked, looking at the giant terrain display that dominated the Command Center.

"Negative, too much interference," Maya replied.

"Keep at it. That's too suspicious." Misako frowned. "Shinju, the Azazel teams will inform you on its silhouette, but it's the standard giant monster. Can't miss it. Generate your AT field before you launch."

"Understood," Shinju's stated over the voice-link.

"It's about to cross the Komagatake Defense Perimeter," Makoto announced.

"Time to intercept?" General Yubari inquired from his elevated position.

"Three kilometers," Makoto verified. "Two-eight... two-five. It's starting to move past Lift Seventeen. Continuing towards the city center."

"Launch Unit 01!" Misako ordered. Shortly after she gave the order a blue chevron representing the Evangelion appeared on the holographic map display.

"Engaging," Shinju confirmed as the icon representing Unit01 moved to intercept that of the Angel. The sharp sounds of the Pallet rifle firing were picked up by the voice-link with Unit 01's cockpit.

"Picking up an energy spike!" Makoto shouted.

"It's shooting back," Shinju said in a muffled voice.

"Unit 01 is sustaining damage. Chest armor is at sixty percent!" Maya cried.

Misako's eyes went up to the map. "Isn't her AT field up?"

"Yes, it's absorbing most of the damage but... the Angel's attacks are going through it!"

"Keep it up, Shinju! Now go back and to the left. There's a ridge to the South East. Get behind that."

"Yes," Shinju's voice gasped.

"AT field maintaining. Damage subsiding," Maya said.

"Angel moving to intercept. Looks like we've got its attention," Makoto announced.

Misako frowned at the display, it was somewhat unclear. "Shinju are you in position?"

"Yes."

"Good, orders are coming." Misako turned to one of the technicians. "Patch me into the Azazel wing."

"Captain Fuchs here."

"How many N2 tipped missiles do your men have ready to fire?" Misako asked.

"Yakov and Borisovich each have two," Fuchs replied. "They're on the same channel."

Misako's eyes went to the map and looked at the symbols representing the Azazel planes that Makoto had just highlighted. "Time until the target reaches the ridge?"

"It's slowed down to a crawl. Give it thirty seconds," Maya stated.

"Yakov, Borisovich - fire."

Misako watched as two symbols representing missiles split from the two Azazel planes. "Shinju, keep your AT field up. When I give the order, I want you to jump over the ridge and rush the enemy."

"Fifteen seconds from impact!" Makoto shouted. "Ten!"

"Now Shinju! Go, go!"

Unit 01 moved forward and the sound of the Angel firing came over the voice link. "Impact!" Makoto shouted. "AT field flaring! Target is down, reporting 30% mass damage."

"Take it out, Shinju!" Misako ordered.

"Angel still firing! Head and chest armor taking damage," Maya stated.

The two symbols intersected and after a few seconds the Angel's winked off.

"Pattern Blue no longer being detected," Makoto stated.

"Good," Misako gave the JSSDF general a sideways glance. "Shinju, return to base, but keep an eye out." She looked to Makoto. "Any other pattern blue on the sensors?"

"No, Ma'am."

Misako nodded. "Fuch,s do any of your men see anything?"

"Nyet."

"Not bad," Yubari commented, rising to his feet. "Simulation end." After he said that several of the Nerv technicians stopped their consoles and the command center returned to its normal lighting.

"That was a real pain."

"You didn't send the Pilot in headlong," Yubari noted after he had walked down to the level that Misako and the rest of the bridge crew were on.

"That's because the last time I came up against a rapid-fire Angel you had it kill her before she got within a klick."

"The Evangelion is extremely adept at close quarter combat, especially since at that range both AT fields are neutralized. It makes sense for an Angel to come up with some kind of standoff capability," General Yubari explained.

"Yeah, thankfully, Azazel's giving us our own ranged abilities." Misako leaned against the wall of the next highest station.

"N2 missiles? You might as well have nuked it."

Misako laughed. "Nah, this way I got the best of both worlds. Something nice and heavy to soften up the Angel, Eva to finish it off, and no radiation. Though I wish Ritsuko would get the damn Eva-sim ready."

"Oh? You miss seeing the battles that much?"

"Yes, but more importantly. I really think we need to train Shinju and Rei better. Right now, they're just sitting in a room reading cards that your wargames people hand to them. That trains me, but what about them?"

"Dr. Akagi is Nerv's responsibility. I'm amazed that you actually have a backup command center." Yubari said as he looked around the room. "And that you weren't using it for training. What kind of operation were you trying to run?"

"That's a strategic question." Misako frowned. Nerv's priorities were... worrying. "But, I've been more than happy to work on these wargames. We've been doing them ever since the reorganization."

"Yes, but you may simply prefer barking orders in an air conditioned Command Center instead of being out in the field with a platoon of... Naval Infantry."

Misako looked over to make sure the channel to the Russian liaison officer had been closed. "Yes, it is very convenient for Azazel to have an company's worth of troops fluent in Japanese, ready-made for our use."

"Yes, that is... handy." Yubari looked at his watch. Nerv had enough, if barely, time to prepare for the Angel's return, evidently Azazel had enough time to prepare for Nerv. "Take your sisters and go home. We'll have a debriefing on the battle tomorrow morning."

"Sir." Misako gave a salute before leaving the Command Center.

Watching the Nerv technicians clean up and shut down their workstations, Yubari pondered. There was something deeply wrong here. For an organization built around fighting the Angels there were severe... gaps in Nerv's thinking. He knew that Commander Ikari was not a military man, but neither was he an idiot. There had to be a reason for such lax behavior.

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"I'm surprised," Fuyutsuki said, adjusting the cuffs to his uniform.

There was a slight pause as Gendo's gaze went from the armored window to the old man's face. "Oh?"

"Normally, you eschew such publicity events."

Gendo's shoulder shifted slightly. "The situation is acceptable. Do you think I would be so petty as to risk the Plan over a social function?"

Fuyutsuki let his gaze drift out to the passing buildings. "You seem confident about the current security arrangements."

"Shouldn't I?" Gendo stood up.

"Section Two again?"

The commander cocked his head. "A respected enemy is more valuable than an ally. An ally requires trust; trust that can be betrayed."

"Azazel could destroy us - just a moment's work," Fuyutsuki cautioned as the limousine parked.

Gendo smirked. "They killed an Angel with one plane, one missile. If anything were to happen to the Pilots, the suspicion would immediately fall on them."

"They are victims of their own success, then?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"Their first mission was perfect. They have nowhere to go but down."

"So while they fight against expectations, we shall use them?" Fuyutsuki shook his head as they exited the car and passed groups of men in dark suits.

As the lift ascended out of the parking garage, Gendo adjusted his gloves. "Let them fight. If it weren't for the funding, I'd let them nuke the whole lot."

"And their goals?" They walked towards the building's entrance.

"I am not naïve enough to assume the Russians are more innocent than we are," Gendo replied, coldly.

"I suppose that gives us some perspective," Fuyutsuki remarked.

"I see your cynical edge has remained," a large man stated. As Fuyutsuki looked at the hirsute figure, the term bear-like regrettably came to mind. The newcomer was dressed in a dark-blue almost black naval uniform.

Gendo looked at the man for a moment. "Admiral."

"Commander," Lavrentiyv Sudoplatov turned to Fuyutsuki. "Vice Commander. Arrived early, I see."

"Really? The generals are not here yet?"

"Oh, they're around. Yubari is scowling about something." Sudoplatov chuckled. He looked around the room. "It is refreshing to see that there is some culture in this city of technology. Did you import the wood, or was it natively grown?"

Gendo turned away from the Russian letting his gaze pan across the dining room and ultimately rest upon a small group of JSSDF officers. He knew the restaurant's quality. It was one of the few places that could actually serve a meal in some semblance of serenity.

"I believe this was all pre-Impact. The original restaurant was in Kobe and was rescued before any real water damage could get tables and wall paneling."

"Ah, it is good that some beautiful things were saved. Life is tragic," Sudoplatov noted. "But we must do what we can."

"Like create Azazel," Fuyutsuki said as a waiter bearing a silver drink tray walked up to them. He moved between the glasses of clear liquid, until he found one with a... palatable odor.

The admiral flashed a smile. "You give me too much credit. To lay all of Azazel's accomplishments at my feet? That would be like saying your protégée built Nerv singlehandedly." Sudoplatov laughed. "We both know that great endeavors require the help from all sorts of people. To discount their contributions would be insulting."

Fuyutsuki sipped his gin.

"You are correct, but one must not confuse who is contributing with who is leading," Gendo adjusted his glasses. "If you'll excuse me, I see that the UN representative has arrived."

Sudoplatov looked to the door and watched as a... diplomatic man in a pinstripe suit entered. "May I suggest a bribe? Nothing too overt, simply one of the less-ravaged Caribbean islands. He is a man with simple tastes."

Fuyutsuki smirked. "So where is the good Captain? Has your pilot arrived?"

"He and the good doctor have been delayed. You know engineers. They are a suspicious lot. Ever since they've been moved, Pavel has been babying his bombs. What of your Pilots?"

"Ask your Captain Sakharov." The old professor heard the engine noise on the nearby road suddenly increase in volume, followed by frantic motions by the black-suited guards who mingled in the room. Those in military uniforms simply smirked.

Sudoplatov sighed. "I was wondering why he notified me that his BTR-80s would be on 'training maneuvers' today."

Fuyutsuki's eyebrows went up as the sound of heavy diesel and large turbine engines raced to the building. Walking to a window, he watched as a pair of large armored vehicles stopped and secured the lot. It was then followed by four more fourteen ton vehicles which disgorged over twenty more troops and a quartet of women. Almost as an afterthought, the former professor noted more vehicles bringing up the rear and a pair of bulky, insect-like helicopters loping about. He sighed, wondering if Azazel had brought any jets into this little display, though he supposed the satellite coverage did not count, as their orbits were relatively fixed.

Wearing Nerv dress, the Captain strode forward. Fuyutsuki held back a smile. Normally, he never gave much thought to Nerv's uniforms but the long black shin-length skirt under a black double-breasted jacket with red cuffs, epaulets and collar did give a striking... presence. Even the green jewel at her neck helped with the look.

To either side of her were the Pilots, both wearing matching white dresses. The younger's was more frilly, with the scalloped-hem and a bit more flounce to her lace. Shinju was shadowed by a grim-faced mountain of a man. While all the soldiers seemed to be alertly paranoid, that man's expression was even more intense.

Wearing a white-trimmed blue suit with a matching, if short skirt, Dr. Akagi rounded out the group and seemed quite embarrassed for her effort. Within moments, the contingent of Ayanamis had entered the restaurant and cut to the private dining room.

Turning away from the UN representative, Gendo took a long sip from his spiced rum and smiled slightly. He knew the value of theatrics, especially after you acquired the reputation of eschewing such things. As he walked over to the Ayanamis, their cohort of guards split and fell to either side, giving him free access.

"Impressive commitment to security Captain," Gendo nodded to Misako. "I trust things are working well with our allies?"

"Yes, Sir." Misako snapped a salute.

"Good, I wa-" Gendo's response was obscured by even louder engine noise, this time coming from a pair of high-power turbofans. The commander stared as a jet bearing the spear and cleaved shield of Azazel landed vertically on an empty area of the parking lot.

"Ah, so he took a Yak-38," Sudoplatov muttered.

"Is this a discipline problem?" Fuyutsuki asked. "And here comes the Nerv VTOLs."

"No, he said he would fly right over with Beria as soon as the man finished."

"And you're not going to punish one of your officers for taking advantage in such a way?" Fuyutsuki watched as a man in a flight suit scrambled to help someone out of the second seat. Normally the back seat in two-seat Yak-38's was used for anti-submarine warfare, but now it was being used as a taxi.

"I suppose I'll find something to do. I'm sure the trickster even filed a flight plan and got clearance for that little escort."

"We are at war, and it would be a shame if Azazel lost their best pilot and their scientific lead due to friendly fire."

Sudoplatov frowned. "So there's the possibility that this isn't the action an impulsive pilot getting away with some stunt but a carefully arranged and choreographed maneuver designed to look impressive?"

Fuyutsuki watched as the pilot helped an older man in a white lab coat get to the ground. The pilot then stripped out of his flight suit, revealing his dress uniform. "Perish the thought."

On the other side of the room, Shinju hesitantly looked at the field of crisp uniforms. Dr. Akagi and Oneechan were the only others people not in a uniform. Even the waiters appeared to be Nerv.

She turned to the entrance, noticing another man in a Russian Naval uniform enter. He was somewhat on the short side, but had a strong jaw and piercing, amused eyes. Next to him was an older man wearing a somewhat rumpled suit under a white lab coat. The engineer's hair was wispy to thinning up top. "Ah, if it isn't the good Doctor Akagi," he said his accent making his words nearly incomprehensible.

"Director," Ritsuko stiffly nodded.

"Hah! There's the Hero of the evening!" Captain Zel'dovich walked up to Shinju and went to one knee.

"Thanks... I tried.... it turned out okay." Shinju blushed.

"Okay? So modest," Zel'dovich laughed. "With you and your sisters I don't think we'll have to worry about those Angels."

Noticing all the eyes on her, the crimson in Shinju's cheeks deepened. She looked over to Oneechan but she simply blinked, while Oneesan seemed almost... bemused.

"Don't be nervous," Andrei lifted Shinju's chin. " He then picked up the diminutive girl and held her so she sat over his left forearm. "You need to be proud of what you've done!" he shouted as the rest of the room turned to stare at the pilots.

Fuyutsuki looked into his gin. "Laying it on a bit thick," he muttered.

"He's a pilot. Ego and charisma are part of the job. Besides, they make a cute pair," Sudoplatov noted as the photographers went to their work. "See, she likes it."

Fuyutsuki nodded at the shy smile that had slowly grown on Shinju's face. It certainly was a crowd pleaser "Yes, I can see the symbolism."

"Your Commander seems to be having fun."

Fuyutsuki kept his face neutral and noticed the slight, slight grin on Ikari's face.

"He is an impressive man. I can see why he fought so hard to keep the Ayanamis together. Such a shame that Rei's Evangelion isn't operational."

Ritsuko was nursing a Scotch on the rocks when she felt a presence behind her. She slowly turned away from the bar and frowned at Beria's smiling face.

"You must be very proud of your creations," he said, switching to English.

Forcing herself to keep her eyes from drifting toward the Ayanamis, Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. She wondered if he was merely fishing or if he actually knew something about the sisters. "The Evangelions? Or do you mean the Magi?" she asked in the same language.

"The former. Though the latter... I can just imagine the things I could do with that computing power," Beria smiled wistfully.

Ritsuko suppressed a scoff. "Better bombs?"

"Reducing the required yield would be better, for everyone. No?"

"True, though we'll do our best to make sure we don't need your services," Ritsuko kept her voice even.

Beria chuckled before fiddling with his coat pocket. "Naturally, no one wants to have their nation bombed."

"It must be nice to actually work on your bombs in the sunshine. As opposed to some Siberian lab," Ritsuko idly observed.

"Bah, the sun is overrated. Do you miss it? Spending all that time deep under Hakone, working on your biological voodoo?"

"Voodoo?" Ritsuko's hand clenched over her glass.

Beria laughed. "You lack rigor! I know computer science. I studied Metaphysical Biology. The theories are a joke. I've seen more experimental control in animal husbandry!"

"You just blow up bombs in the enemy's face! Where's the _style_ in that?" Ritsuko hissed.

The Russian gave a reluctant nod. "Yes, it does lack the cultured dignity of running up to the enemy and shiving it with a knife."

"That's just due to the limitations of AT Field combat. Ranged weapons are a problem."

"Never give a scientist an engineer's job," Beria shook his head.

"What?"

"You built these fantastical war machines, but you never thought about how to actually use them? What was your plan? What would you have done without us? You have no effective weapons. Your tactical officers have been a parade of inept nepotistic neophytes. You didn't train your pilots in anything other than just turning the damn things on. And your strategic officers didn't seem to care about any of this."

Ritsuko narrowed her eyes.

"It took the JSSDF and the UN noticing this... criminal incompetence for you to clean up your act. And what do we find? All of a sudden you've got spare Command Centers to train in. New weapons designs, new training simulations, Pilots able to fight and kill, and officers that can actually learn. The Admiral likes his games, but I'm a simple man. What's wrong with Nerv? What stupid game are you playing here?"

Ritsuko inhaled and then took a sip of her glass. He was needling her, obviously so. Worse, he was right. "Oh? So you're concerned that Nerv's suddenly less incompetent than you thought we were? I'm sorry that we're not uncooperative idiots you could intimidate with supercriticality."

Beria's smile warmed. "Is that so?"

"Maybe the much touted Russian Intelligence isn't quite as good as you thought it was?" Ritsuko icily asked.

"Maybe." Beria sniffed. "Maybe, but I'd rather the situation be this way."

"With Nerv getting more competent?"

"Of course," Beria laughed, and picked up a fresh glass of vodka. "If you'll excuse me."

Watching the man leave, Ritsuko allowed a slight shudder. She had met researchers like that before and they always worried her. Though if her choices were ending up like her mother or more like Beria... Her thoughts were interrupted by a gently smiling clone.

"Hello Misako." Ritsuko looked at the glass in the Captain's hands. Amazingly, while it had been around long enough to lose most of its head, the glass was still mostly full. "Enjoying yourself?"

"I'm being good!" Misako pouted.

"Yes you are." Ritsuko smiled. Misako's blood work had improved lately.

Eyes narrowing, Misako stared at the scientists for a few seconds before speaking. "So, how is the Eva-sim going?"

"Much faster. Now that I don't have to worry about you killing yourself."

Misako snorted. "Gee..."

"We'll be ready to start testing with Shinju in the plug, tomorrow." Ritsuko took a sip. "It's good to see you taking this training seriously."

"I don't have many options." Misako frowned into her glass.

"If you get fired, don't worry. I won't stop your treatments. I'm not heartless."

Misako looked back up at Ritsuko. "It's not that. I don't want to lose this chance. I want to kill the Angels! We can't let them get away!"

"Indeed," Ritsuko stated, mirth leaking into her voice. It was a shame that Misako had not asked exactly how those clone bodies had been enhanced.

"Looks like the dinner's finally starting up." Misako looked over to see the various officers centering on a long, polished oak table. She frowned. "Where am I sitting?"

"Over by the end, between your sisters. You're sitting across from two of the Azazel pilots and their tactical commander." Ritsuko sighed as she pointed.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just annoyed at where I'll be sitting."

"Oh?" Misako asked as she watched the commander and Fuyutsuki sit down. Across from them sat the Admiral in charge of Azazel and one of the JSSDF Generals. Further down the table were the other generals and the UN representative.

"Yes, tactical at one end, strategic at the other, and science in the middle."

"You're sitting across from Azazel's scientific head," Misako smirked.

"A whole meal with Director Beria's company." Ritsuko sighed again and emptied her glass.

"Shame, the Russian pilots are actually pretty nice. Zel'dovich really got Shinju to blush."

After getting a fresh Scotch, Ritsuko turned back to Misako. "That's not saying much."

"This was different. She's trying to be more... mature. I think she's got a little crush."

Ritsuko's eyes narrowed. "Oh dear... I didn't think...."

"What? She's a twelve year-old girl. Of course she'd be flattered by some handsome military type lavishing her with compliments."

Rubbing her forehead, Ritsuko gave herself a moment to collect her thoughts. She then looked at Misako and simply stared.

"Oh. Well... I could be wrong."

"It's something we should keep an eye on." Ritsuko frowned and watched the Fourth Child take her seat. It was so hard to... tell. The only person that knew Shinju before was the Commander, and he was not much help. If the salvage had missed... something. The scientist's frown deepened, there was not much she could do. In all likelihood, repeating the procedure would just exacerbate the situation. She had used a less developed body on the presumption that fewer hormones and less developed secondary sex characteristics would make for an easy transition. Perhaps her theory was right.

Really, all that mattered was making sure the Fourth would continue to be able to Pilot. Even if something was... missing, was that really her problem? Was it even a problem? The Fourth child had a phenomenal synchronization ratio, took well to training, had proven herself in combat, and was even getting Rei to increase her socialization.

"You're worried?" Concern had entered Misako's voice.

"I'm cautious," Ritsuko clarified. "You know your family's medical conditions. Add in the stress of piloting... Your sisters are fine, and I'll do everything I can to keep it that way."

"That's good. I don't want them to get hurt."

"Oh? What about the training with their bodyguards?" Ritsuko asked.

"It's no worse than physical education, and it allows them to get used to having stern Russians following them around," Misako shrugged.

"Physical education? Aren't they doing weapons training?"

Misako chuckled. "So it's okay to teach them how to shoot giant guns but not regular sized ones? Besides isn't this way better, fiscally? It's much cheaper to have them use the Nerv rifle range than sortie an Eva."

"I suppose."

"I am concerned. All this time spent training. I mean there's no time for them to be..."

"Normal girls?" Ritsuko laughed, almost spilling her drink.

"Hey, they have social lives."

"Yes, Shinju's doing quite well at gaining friends," Ritsuko chuckled.

"Stable Pilots are better than depressed social recluses, right?" Misako raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes, much better." Ritsuko's eyes went to the long table. "I think we better take our seats. The meal's about to start."

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"So what'll Kensuke and your brother do with that tape?" Nozomi asked as she picked at her lunch.

"Tape?" Shinju asked, while Rei silently raised an eyebrow.

"Probably keep it a secret," Shirane icily stated. She looked at the Ayanami sisters and sighed. "He and my brother were out, and recorded some video. Four days ago."

"Oh," Shinju frowned. "They weren't in the shelters, then?"

"Toji's got some bad luck, doesn't he?" Nozomi laughed.

"Wait... so the guy Shirane's chasing after did the same stupid thing she did?" Shinju asked.

"You see why she's got a crush on him."

Shinju blinked and looked back to Shirane.

The ponytailed brunette stared at Shinju for a moment."I didn't learn about the tape until the day after the fight and then the next day... at school... well..." Shirane's gaze traveled a few meters, finding a giant of a man enthusiastically and loudly consuming a sandwich. Sitting near him were more men in the same uniforms and carrying the same weapons. There were also other groups of soldiers. Some, Shirane thought, seemed to be more focused on Rei than Shinju.

"Oh.. Igor. He's harmless."

Nozomi blinked. Looking at the military man, many words came to her mind "Harmless" was not one of them.

"He's a tank!" Shirane cried. "He's even got two rifles!"

"Actually..." Shinju blushed. "The one slung over his back is mine."

Shirane's eyes nearly sparkled. "You got a gun? Can you get me one? How does it shoot? I've heard the recoil isn't actually that bad." She stopped her gushing and paused.

"Wait... Shinju... why are you being followed by a gaggle of Azazel commandos?" Shirane asked. "I thought your older sister worked for Nerv."

"Yes, my sister says they follow Rei around, too," Nozomi added.

Rei turned and gave Shinju a meaningful glare.

"Well... they're our bodyguards." Shinju slowly said as she tried to keep her cheeks from inflaming.

"And why is Azazel guarding the siblings of Nerv personnel?" Shirane asked. "Nozomi's sister heads Section Four. Why doesn't she have a group of Slavic heavies following her around?"

"Did she ever ask?" Rei asked.

Shirane snickered.

Nozomi rolled her eyes. "Have you _met _my sister? Kodama would have."

"So what's the deal?"

Shinju turned to Rei who gave a slight nod. "Well... you see... we're Pilots."

"Pilots? Azazel uses kids in their Sukhois?" Shirane skeptically asked.

"Of course not."

"Then what...." Shirane froze and the penny dropped. If they were not piloting Azazel's weapons, then perhaps they were piloting Nerv's... "No way! That was you!"

Shinju blushed.

"What? You two pilot that giant robot? That's like out of some movie... I mean...." Nozomi trailed off.

"We _are_ being invaded by giant aliens," Shirane gently reminded.

"Actually, that was just me. Rei's got her own Evangelion."

"So, giant robots and nuclear missiles?" Shirane looked at Shinju's headband. The bows were the same color as the mecha.

Shinju nodded.

"Is it okay for you to tell us this?" Nozomi asked.

"Yeah... they're going public with the information." Shinju glanced to the side and looked at Igor, who looked unusually attentive for a man busily eating a sandwich. "They say it's good for morale."

"What? I guess so," Nozomi said.

Shirane's eyes widened for a moment. She then studied her friend's form. "Oh... that is a clever idea. It puts a human face on well... mass destruction, and with the right merchandizing, they can really ensnare the otaku crowd."

"You're still thinking about getting Kensuke." Nozomi snickered as she watched Shirane's cheeks change color. "Awww... you're like Shinju."

Shirane glared.

"Aren't you worried that there's a Pilot that's already in his class, his age?" Nozomi asked.

Shirane frowned. "Hey Rei, are you interested in Ken?"

Turning her head to look at the girl, Rei stared for a moment. "No."

Nozomi laughed.

"Then I guess the only Pilot in my way is Shinju. Are you interested?"

"Well... I haven't met him." Shinju managed to just keep her cheeks from warming.

"He's not your type, trust me."

"You're not into scrawny geeks." Nozomi nodded in agreement.

"Yeah!" Shirane grinned manically. "We know what kind of guy you like."

Shinju blushed.

"Shirane...we actually didn't narrow it down. She's horribly indecisive," Nozomi remarked.

"True, true..." Shirane turned to Rei. "What kind of guy do you think Shinju likes?"

Rei tilted her head. "She enjoys Lieutenant Igor Khariton's company. She sat across from Captain Andrei Zel'dovich and had a very animated conversation with him."

"Oh? Captain Zel'dovich, Azazel's Angel killer. Sleeping with the competition?" Shirane smirked.

"He only picked me up and hugged me!" Shinju cried.

"Oh, public displays of affection. Does he like you?" Shirane asked.

"He's almost twice my age."

"So?"

"He wouldn't be interested in me."

"So, you are interested," Shirane teased.

"I dunno... He's good in battle, but I mean... I don't think he'd think that way about me."

"There is quite the age difference," Nozomi noted.

"We are a bit young for... boyfriends, right?"

Nozomi frowned. Shinju's voice was hopeful, but... it almost seemed like she was hoping for the negative. "Too young for a lot of stuff, sure."

"Not too young to drive huge mecha. How's that work?"

"That's classified," Rei stated.

"Could be genetic. The two Pilots are sisters," Shirane proposed.

Rei and Shinju simply resumed eating.

"Aww, not even a little hint?" Shirane pouted.

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"Makoto, what do you think of the new Captain?" First Lieutenant Shigeru Aoba asked as he picked at his lunch. He was eating lunch with the two other "primary" technicians in a bar and grill that was adjacent to the pyramidal structure of Central Dogma.

"New? She's been here almost as long as the previous one was," Maya reminded them, while she looked out the window. The restaurant gave a fair view of the massive underground lake.

"Yeah, that's why I'm asking. We don't seem to have a good track record for keeping Tactical heads."

"Well... it's weird. She seems to be a forceful boss. Especially after the last Angel, but..." Makoto looked down and stared at his can of soda.

"Yes?"

"She's definitely an Ayanami. It's kind of eerie. Seeing what Rei'd be like in a few years."

"Outgoing?" Shigeru delicately asked.

"She did spend a lot of time in America, and you know what they're like." Shigeru laughed before taking a bite of his hamburger. He was fine with a lot of American things, their food, their music, but when it came to the people themselves... he was quite happy that the Pacific ocean was the world's largest.

"I guess they felt nuking us twice was enough," Shigeru dryly chuckled. "But you can tell that the Commander has specific ideas about his section heads."

"Captain Ayanami and Captain Katsuragi were of the same cloth," Makoto stated carefully.

Shigeru nodded.

"Now that's not fair. Ayanami-san doesn't drink nearly as much," Maya mentally added the "now". She had heard Akagi complain about Captain Ayanami's drinking and its effects on the "family condition".

"Are you suggesting that the Late Captain was... improper during the events that lead to her death?"

Makoto picked at his lunch "Of course not. It was just bad luck."

"And poor communication."

"Well isn't that why Nerv, Azazel, and JSSDF were reorganized?" Maya asked.

Shigeru gave a charitable smile. "Sure."

"But it is... strange. Maybe the Commander does keep a bunch of applications on file," Makoto said as he picked at his lunch. Corned beef sounded interesting but...

"I'm sure he does, but what are the requirements? The ones about having very high tactical marks make some sense, though lacking of combat experience is odd. Even them being younger makes sense. The Pilots are fourteen and under so that can be to have a better bond." Shigeru sipped his drink. "But other things... I mean is one of the requirements: candidate must be friends with Dr. Akagi?"

"Sempai has lots of friends, and wouldn't it be good for Tactical and Scientific to get along?" Maya asked.

Makoto frowned. "Yeah, but now we have a Captain that has all these things _and_ is the elder sister of our two active Pilots? Where did the Commander go to get a Tactical head like that?"

Shigeru carefully watched the other two and felt a... paranoid silence fall over the trio.

"Same place he found Rei and Shinju, I'm sure," Maya ventured.

Makoto nodded slightly. "Of course, they're family."

"Yeah, Shinju's definitely an Ayanami. You can really see the resemblance there," Shigeru ventured.

"They are only two years apart," Maya said. "So they're gonna be closer."

"I've only been here about a year. Was Rei like that two years ago?" Makoto asked.

Shigeru gave a carefully bemused look. "They're not identical. They're sisters."

"Rei also was trained to be a Pilot much longer than Shinju was."

"Why was that?" Makoto asked

"The Marduk Report originally only looked at those born within a year of Second Impact. It was only after the Third Child was lost that they expanded their search to younger children," Maya explained before eating some of her chicken salad.

"And Rei is the only Pilot to have siblings," Makoto said.

Maya nodded. "Exactly. Shinju shot to the top of their list."

"I'd bet the Commander had already tested her, just in case," Shigeru noted.

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "It's Commander Ikari."

"Good point."

"As for the friends with Sempai thing. I think Captain Ayanami's better friends with her. Captain Katsuragi only knew her from college."

"Captain Ayanami has taken more of an interest in the Evangelions. She's in the cages and testing rooms as much as the Pilots are," Makoto said.

"They are her sisters," Maya stated. "You know how injured Rei was the last time Unit 00 was powered up."

"It's more personal," Shigeru nodded. "Speaking of that, when are you and the good doctor going to try to reactivate Unit 00?"

Maya frowned and almost looked around, but this was the Geo Front. Everyone, even the cooks and wait staff, had Nerv clearance, and the test date was not technically classified. "Tomorrow. The Captain's getting antsy."

Shigeru nodded, finishing off his burger.

"It's a risk, but we need more functional Evangelions," Makoto said.

"It's that or let Azazel take the lead," Shigeru said. "Dr. Akagi was at that fancy dinner. What did she think of the Azazel staff?"

"We do deal with the Pilots' guard detachment every day," Makoto reminded. Making sure all the Azazel staff got the clearances and escorts was a headache. Only slightly less than working out which areas they could enter and how do deal with the areas they could not.

"I'm not talking about them. I mean their pilots, their version of the Commander, Dr. Akagi, Captain Ayanami."

"Sempai thought that Doctor Beria was overbearing, arrogant, rude and had spent far too much time isolated and away from the sun."

"Doesn't Dr. Akagi have a condo down here?" Shigeru gently asked.

Maya blushed.

"I notice that incompetent or stupid wasn't in that list," Makoto said after he resumed eating his sandwich.

"The man did figure out how to kill Angels, without using a super-robot," Shigeru reminded.

"And what about Admiral Sudoplatov?" Maya asked.

"The Captain said he's a Naval Admiral in the same way that Ikari is an Army Commander," Makoto said before taking another bite. The corned beef was starting to grow on him.

"What do you expect? The Russians have always been big on the spy stuff. Of course the head of their version of Nerv would be well...." Shigeru said.

"A spook?" Makoto offered.

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The gun's magazine empty, Shinju lowered her rifle. Stepping back to the bench, she glanced at her sister, to see that Rei had already unslung her weapon and had laid it on the range bench. She slipped the small earplugs out of her ears. They were more intrusive than her headphones, but they were very good at muffling the noise. On the other hand, the shooting glasses she wore gave everything a yellow-orange tint. Shinju wondered if this was how her father saw the world.

"Good shot!" Igor said after he had lumbered downrange to pick up Shinju's target. "You no longer afraid of gun. There less drift," he said comparing the current target with one of yesterday's. There was less vertical spread on the pattern.

Idly running a hand down the stock of her Kalashnikov, Shinju smiled and blushed, but only slightly. On the fore-stock, she could feel the heat from the barrel.

"Most good. First you learn basic shoot. Then fire while moving. And soon we can start working you on Dragunov."

"Really?" Lieutenant Kurchatov said looking up from his quiet conversation with Rei. "I thought First Child was going to be fire support."

"Azazel is fire support. Evangelion for close combat." Igor corrected.

"Then why the sniper rifles?" Shinju asked.

"Shooting good," Igor replied, nearly zen-like.

"There are long guns for the Evangelions. If they have the weapon, they should be trained to use them. Correct, Rei?"

"That is true," Rei allowed.

"Is also proper skill to learn," Igor stated. "However, would be better if Nerv guns could hurt Angels."

"That's good." Shinju pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Let me see those." Igor requested.

Shinju slipped the shooting glasses off. Rounded and vaguely rectangular the lenses were held by a half rim fame that ran over the top of the lenses connecting the nose pieces to the ear backs. After handing the glasses over she watched as Igor popped out the yellow-orange lenses.

"These are good, improve contrast and block haze and blue light. You saw how they made the target more visual. The yellow helps at night too." He pulled out a set of purple lenses. "These combine grey and red. Grey all around; like the others it takes down glare, but it works in many light cases. Red good to highlight target against background. Takes some getting used to. Here, try."

Shinju slipped the violet lenses on and blinked. The world did have more... contrast; she stepped over to the rifle and picked it up. She slipped a full magazine in and paused; what was she doing?

She looked down and saw an automatic rifle in her hands and a bowed-blouse and pleated skirt over her body. Heart pounding, she looked over to see her sister reloading her own weapon... her sister.

"What wrong?" Igor asked.

Shinju stared at the large Slavic man. "I've... I've got to go... bathroom," she finished lamely running out of the room. Hurrying out of the indoor range, she hardly noted some of her guard preceding her. Turning down a corridor she looked up to see a pair of Azazel Naval Infantry that had just stepped out of the Women's Room and held the door open.

Staring, Shinju slipped between them and went into the gleaming tile room. After looking at her reflection for a moment, she pulled off her glasses. Removing the purple coloring did not help.

"There's no going back," she whispered. Her memory flashed to the explosion and the heat.... the wreckage and... She closed her eyes and exhaled. Shaking her head, she went to the toilet.

Afterwards, she returned to the mirror and washed her hands, then resumed staring at her reflection. She frowned. This was who she... was. Staring at her red eyes she eventually heard the door open. Looking over she saw Rei step into the room.

The older girl looked at the other clone and frowned slightly. "Is there a problem?"

Shinju tore herself away from her reflection and looked at Rei. "I... I don't know."

"We should talk to Dr. Akagi then."

"No, it's not that. I'm not hurt."

Rei stepped closer. "Then what is the problem?"

"It's all this!" Shinju cried, waving an arm down the length of her body.

Waiting for further elaboration, Rei remained silent.

"I don't feel like I'm... " Shinju started crying.

Reflexively, Rei reached out and embraced the clone.

"What's going to happen to me?" Shinju whimpered.

"You're going to fight the enemy," Rei stated, noting that she had started to calm down.

"Oneechan.. could they... could they try to... put me back?" Shinju asked, stumbling to find the right words.

Rei cocked her head slightly.

"Should they? Akagi-san said that the procedure was risky. What if it doesn't work? What if I die? That's selfish. They need us."

Rei nodded.

"What about you? Do you... I mean, when... were you... treated?" Shinju hoped that her meaning was clear enough.

Blinking, Rei pondered her response. "Many years ago."

"Ah, and you're okay." Shinju nodded. "What about me? Will I be okay?"

"You're an Ayanami."

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"Ah, Captain Horaki, prompt as usual," Gendo's eyes went up from the papers on his desk.

"As you say, Sir." The freckled brunette idly adjusted her glasses. " Is there something wrong with the airbase equipment?" The airbase was a massive multi-agency mess. On that the reorganization only increased. The facilities were already joint JSSDF and Nerv. One the other hand, being mostly an aerial force, Azazel did have a considerable presence.

"No, that situation is well in hand." Gendo paused. "The preparations for Unit 02's arrival?"

Kodama nodded. "The package has been completed. Ninety percent of the required equipment is compatible with existing stores. For the parts unique with the Production Series we had to consult Nerv-03 for their supplier information."

Gendo raised an eyebrow at the tone she ended with. "Problems?"

"Sir, the suppliers within Germany are fine, but the other Eurozone ones... they're incompetent and wasteful. At least the American contractors have the decency to hide their wasteful spending via over-engineering."

"How critical is this?"

"Some of the components in question are in the power systems. Especially a capacitor bank that's built by Allied Electronics, a British firm. They improved on the standard design used in the Test and Prototype models. Their delays could affect our ability to get spares."

Gendo leaned against his folded hands. He knew the owner via his business relation to a certain committee member. Normally, he would let it slide. However, Nerv was under pressure, and he needed to prove that Nerv was more than a giant source of graft and kickbacks. "Deal with it then. Unit 02 will come under this command's control. Therefore Allied's contract with Nerv-03 is not applicable."

"Their attorneys will object."

"Then make an example of them. This is a war. Withholding key material is an act of industrial sabotage and treason."

"Yes, Sir." Smiling thinly, Kodama bowed her head slightly, causing her glasses to strongly shine in the light streaming in through the windows behind the commander.

Not moving from his position, Gendo looked past his gloves to the picture frame on his desk.

"Commander, will that be all?" Kodama asked, keeping herself from staring at the frame too.

"Your sister is friends with the Fourth Child."

"Yes Sir. The First too."

Gendo's gaze went back to the prim head of Section Four. "Really? That simplifies things."

"Sir?"

"Since the Ayanamis'... reunion, their performance has increased in quality. Such things should be rewarded."

Kodama pulled her briefcase up, opened it, withdrew an aluminum clipboard, flipped to a fresh sheet, and withdrew a pen from her hair bun. "What are the requirements?"

Gendo's eyes returned to the silver picture frame on his desk.

"Sir?"

After several seconds of blank staring, Gendo spoke. "Rei likes to read."

"What books?"

"Use your judgment."

Kodama nodded. "And Shinju?"

Gendo turned to her. "I don't know her as well as the First. You'll have to use your judgment on her as well."

"She doesn't have any toys in her room; Nozomi says Shinju told her she didn't play much when she was growing up." Kodama looked down to her pad and started making notes; it was better than dealing with the Commander's gaze.

Kodama frowned briefly. Traditional could work. "How about some dolls? Something fancy?"

Gendo's gaze returned to the Ayanami photograph. "Dolls?"

"Yes, maybe a princess and a prince. Some romance, some royalty. Little girls love that stuff."

Gendo smirked. "That would be... appropriate."

"I'll contact suppliers and draw up a letter of intent." Kodama said. "What of Captain Ayanami?"

"Oh, just pick up a small bottle of something expensive."

"Trying to get her to appreciate quality over quantity, sir?" Kodama asked.

Gendo raised an eyebrow. "I expect your discretion in this."

"Of course, Sir." Kodama said a bit reproachfully. "I'll deliver it to your hands. When do you need the items?"

"As soon as possible."

"I can have everything but the dolls this evening. The dolls will take a bit longer, but I can lean on a couple toy makers." Kodama smiled thinly; that was going to be a fun meeting.

"Very good, after this you can deal with Allied Electric. Dismissed."

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Shinju watched blankly as the various technicians shouted out their status. Her focus was on Oneechan's Evangelion. The moment was rapidly approaching; either the test would work and Unit 00 would reactivate or...

"Borderline passed! It's cleared," Maya declared from her seat. Before her, and behind a set of thick windows, was the test cell. "Unit 00 has activated."

Gendo allowed a ghost of a grin as he and the rest of the command staff watched.

"Roger, I'll start an interlocking test without a break," Rei intoned, her eyes darting to the right control stick, where a pair of damaged glasses had been hung.

Fuyutsuki put down one of the phones. "Ikari, an indentified object's approaching. Azazel's got a visual; it's the fifth Angel."

Her heartbeat quickening, Shinju turned and quietly watched.

"Interrupt the test. All hands on first class alert." Gendo rose to his feet. "Call the Admiral. I don't want Azazel to provoke it, yet."

"Why don't you use Unit 00?"

"It's not ready for combat yet. Rei will be kept in reserve." Gendo turned to Ritsuko. "How's Unit 01?"

Ritsuko stood. "It'll take 380 seconds to prepare it."

Putting down her coffee cup, Misako sighed as she did the mental division and wondered why Ritsuko did not simply say six minutes; it was not like the extra few seconds would matter.

"Move it out."

"Sir," both Misako and Ritsuko stated.

"Rei, we succeeded in reactivating; good work." Gendo stated after a moment's thought. "We'll be moving you to the cages, in case we need to you to sortie."

Smiling, Rei leaned back and sighed, releasing a small bubble of air, which floated up out of the LCL. The plug shook slightly, as the large clamps holding Unit 00 by the shoulders shifted as the wall slid back, allowing the Evangelion to be moved.

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"The target has flown over Tonosawa." Makoto said as Ramiel floated over a wooded ridge.

"Unit 01, begin preparations for launch." Maya announced as the gates to the Evangelion cage opened.

"Azazel forces are in position. Minimum distance, fifteen kilometers," Shigeru stated as more icons were added to the tactical display.

"Release the first lock bolt," Maya stated.

Shinju waited her instrument display to confirm. "Bolt released," she announced after moving slightly to verify that the restraints had been removed. Shinju looked over to see Unit 00 in an adjacent cage.

Misako frowned at the display screen. "Be careful, Shinju, it doesn't look like a melee fighter, so be ready for a ranged attack," she said over the radio.

General Yubari smiled thinly.

"Target has arrived in the area over Lake Ashino," Makoto stated.

"Azazel has locked onto target." Shigeru's voice countered.

"Eva Unit 01 is ready for launch," Maya added.

Misako flexed her fingers. "Launch!" The releases hit and Unit 01 shot up the series of corridors that led the tracked lift to the surface.

"Powerful energy reaction detected inside the target!" Shigeru shouted.

"What?" Misako craned her head, attempting to peer around Shigeru at the tech's display.

"Accelerating to its outer rim and converging."

Misako's eyes widened. The power levels were higher than any the JSSDF's Angels had used. The lift doors opened, a vertical extension of the tracking shot up, and the Evangelion lift locked into position.

Ritsuko frowned. "Could it be-"

Misako cut her off." Of course it is! Recover it, quickly!"

Looking at the Angel, Shinju gasped. The horizontal edge between its triangular faces had turned a solid white. From this a thick beam shot out, just as Unit 01 began to descend. Instead of hitting Unit 01 in the chest, the beam hit the Evangelion in the head. Immense heat and energy melted and sliced.

Feeling the left side of her head burn, Shinju screamed and put a hand over her eye. The Evangelion fell and for a couple seconds the beam followed, until the lift had descended deep enough into the armored Geo Front. The lance of fresh pain gone, Shinju tried to control her breathing and began her mantra. The pain she was feeling was not hers.

"Target is silent," Shigeru stated. Ramiel had stopped firing and resumed slowly floating towards the city center.

"What about Shinju?" Misako demanded.

"She's alive." Makoto read from his display.

Shinju's voice was then transmitted to the Command Center. "I'm fine, Oneesan." She then groaned in pain but cut it off. "Reporting heavy damage to the head armor, and I've lost some of my optics."

"Unit 01 recovered. Moving to Seventh cage," Maya stated.

"Hold on Shinju, you'll be okay," Misako reassured before turning to Shigeru. "Tell Azazel to hold their fire! I want to know what that attack can do."

"Pilot's brainwaves are unstable," Makoto flatly stated.

Misako walked to the vertical lift to the side of the Command tower. "I'm going to the cage. Don't launch Rei without my order." Stepping onto the lift, she looked up to Gendo who gave a curt nod. Misako pressed the descend button. "Keep me up to date on what that thing does!"

Ritsuko looked at the video feed from the Evangelion cages. "Eject the plug _now_!"

Misako ran down the platform on the gantry that surrounded Unit 01 "Hurry, open the hatch!" She shouted to the work crew. "Where's the medical team?"

As the Evangelion's plug was ejected, Misako caught up with the rescue team. The hatch was opened and Misako looked into the darkened blood-smelling tube and gasped. Shinju was already out of the seat and weakly trying to pull herself towards the hatch.

The way she kept her left eye closed and held her head with one hand dramatically hindered her efforts. However the steady flow of blood oozed out of Shinju's nostrils did not. "It's okay, It's okay," Misako repeated as she reached in and helped the dazed girl out of the plug.

Ritsuko's attention was split between watching Misako and the medical team stabilize and console the young girl, and gaping at what the Angel had done. A being capable of blasting through an Evangelion's armor was faced with the problem of breaching an armored fortress; apparently it had decided that a large, mechanical drill was the ideal way of gaining ingress.

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Squinting through violet lenses, Shinju surveyed the bright tarmac adjacent to the long runway. The medical team had assured her that her eyes would be okay, and the pills Ritsuko had given her had finally removed her headache. In her purple plugsuit, she watched as a constant flow of fighters and bombers raced into the sky. The harsh scent of fuel fumes and the screaming rumbles of jets assaulted her senses. The sun was setting and casting long shadows, the longest being cast by the immense bulk of the black transport aircraft.

Lieutenant Igor Khariton walked next to her. "Is bigger than you, no? But still has heart inside. So you smash it, break open like great crab. I bet it all soft inside. Ha! Then you take hands and rip into little piece. Only stop when the blood gets cold, ya?"

Shinju gave a slight smile and nodded her head. Driving up to the flying-wing transport was an similarly gigantic crawler vehicle. The crawler was carrying the prone purple form of Unit 01. Though a large black heat-shield was strapped under the Evangelion.

Once they got within a hundred meters, Shinju noticed a crew working on the left side of Unit 01's head. Which was expected, as the armor had been replaced there. However, on closer inspection the crew was not entirely Nerv. There was some Azazel too. They applied a stencil, sprayed some paint, removed the stencil and then after shaking hands with the Nerv crew, climbed down.

"Don't worry, you're sure to double your kill count today," a voice said behind Shinju.

The Fourth pilot turned and saw Captain Zel'dovich approach them. Several of her Azazel guard were carefully watching the pilot. Carrying his helmet, Zel'dovich was already wearing his flight suit and had been followed by a group of Azazel's pilots and mechanics.

"The boys decided that you needed the proper recognition for your work," Zel'dovich explained.

"A halo," Shinju noted, looked though her shooting glasses.

"You deserved it," Zel'dovich stated, as they walked. Before them, Unit 01 was transferred from the crawler truck to the transport.

Just in front of one of the ladders into the transport, Shinju blinked at the assembled Azazel and Nerv personnel. She turned and looked behind them to see a large bomber with pure white paint fly streak down the runway. "I'm.... I'm just doing my job."

"Aren't we all," Zel'dovich said wryly. "Pilot, good luck." He and the rest of the men saluted.

Shinju smiled and removed her glasses. "You too, all of you." She warmly returned the gesture, causing her hand to almost vanish within her bangs. She ascended the ladders, Igor accompanying her. There would be plenty of time to go over the plan before she reached the cockpit.

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At nineteen hundred hours, Operation Excelsior commenced. It was named after the 1960 record-breaking high-altitude research jumps conducted by Captain Joseph Kittinger. The final test had him leap at an altitude of over 31 kilometers. His descent had over 4 minutes of free fall, acquired a maximum speed of 988 kilometers per hour, and took nearly 14 minutes to complete. Kittinger validated a multistage parachute designed by Francis Beaupre and explored the limits of human will and ingenuity.

Simply stated, he voluntarily took a helium balloon up to near the edge of space and then jumped out and then fell for nearly a quarter of an hour, all with only an untested prototype parachute (technically it was tested on dummies, but all those tests failed) and protection suit to keep him alive.

In comparison, Shinju's eight kilometer descent was almost mundane. The only record breaking here was in the category of raw tonnage. Tt was, by far, the largest piece of military hardware ever airdropped into battle, done so by the largest aircraft ever constructed.

Once over the target zone, the transport released the Evangelion and head shield. Inside the powered-down Eva, Shinju watched the altimeter and airspeed indicator. Occasionally, rockets on the heat shield would fire, nudging the payload back onto target. Shinju could not feel the effects of wind and temperature and she could hardly see the city below her. However, she saw that in the half minute since release she had lost 3 kilometers of altitude and nearly reached the required velocity. Almost halfway down, Shinju shifted her concentration downward. She would hit the Angel's boundary in a few more seconds.

Captain Zel'dovich observed the humanoid figure grow and grow... suddenly, a white lance shot out of the alien enemy and slammed into the shield. Hoping that the shield would hold, he started ordering his wingmen and checking to make sure they were in position, both the men carrying "conventional" warheads and those carrying Angel Busters.

Immense distance made for a surreal display. Despite the sight of one gigantic body moving over two hundred meters a second, and another firing a beam of incomprehensible power, the scene did not resemble a battle. The Evangelion looked like it was slowly falling, while the Angel's beam seemed to almost be... supportive. The illusion lasted for less than a quarter of a minute.

Before long, the distance was closed and the illusion of scale vanished. Under constant assault, the shield began to deform but it held. Within moments, Ramiel was faced with a enemy moving at over half the speed of sound slamming into its AT field foot-first, at an oblique angle

There was an octagonal flare of orange light at the point of impact, flickering briefly against Unit 01's AT field to indicate the barest hint of resistance. An instant later, the Angel's field collapsed and the Evangelion slammed into the Angel with kinetic energy equivalent to seven tons of TNT. Ramiel's probe snapped like a dry twig as the Angel was knocked to the ground. The bottom tip of the octahedron ground into the street while and entire upper face was shattered by Unit 01's impact.

Pulling herself up, Shinju tried to get her footing on the slanted body. It was like climbing a bloody, crystalline mountain... one with innards that reached as high as her Evangelion's knees. Drawing a progressive knife, she was about to start hacking away when her radio chimed. "Shinju, this is Misako! Azazel is striking!"

Shinju immediately dropped prone. After a few moments, the sky on the opposite side of the battered Angel turned pure white. She held tight, wincing at the wave of heat and the sound of tortured material being rended and shattered.

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Rei inhaled sharply as Unit 00 was launched to the surface. There was a tortured screech as the lift building knocked aside some debris. Rei's eyes widened slightly at the devastation. Despite lowering all the retractable skyscrapers and Azazel using "tactical" missiles, much of downtown Tokyo 3 was scoured and aflame.

However, her attention was soon occupied the battered bulk of Ramiel. The great Angel lay on one of its triangular faces and had several deep, ragged holes bored into it. It seemed that Azazel's strikes had concentrated on the wide edge surface that Rameil used to fire its beam attacks. Carrying an Evangelion-scaled missile launcher, and trailing two power cables, Rei rushed the stricken creature.

"Detecting power spike! Go left! Now!" Misako ordered over the radio.

Rei dove to the side as a surviving segment of of Ramiel's edges managed to generate a flickering beam. It melted through several buildings, trying to angle over to Unit 00.

Running to make Rameil have to fire from an even more oblique angle, Rei launched a salvo of missiles. Those were soon intercepted... but gave Zel'dovich an opening, and an Azazel missile collapsed the remaining firing surface, compromising even more of the Angel's far side.

Running through the fireball and over three quarters there, Rei jumped. Unit 00's boots dug into the gouged surface of Ramiel and nearly slipped. Dropping the missile launcher so that it hung on a sling around the Unit's neck, she dug into the shaking, shuddering surface, and scaled it on her hands and knees.

After reaching the bloody summit, she quickly scanned for her sister, and found Shinju on the other slope using the remains of her shield as an improvised weapon. Unit 01 repeatedly gouged the broken shield into Ramiel's body and shoveled out tons and tons of bloody crystalline mess.. Red eyes narrowing, Rei unhooked the spare power socket and jumped next to her sister.

"Status?" Rei asked after plugging her sister in.

"External battery packs drained, fifty percent remaining on internal. Burn and shock damage to knees and lower legs," Shinju reported, clinically, digging around the crystalline innards. "Have not found core or toroidal reactor."

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General Ishikari's eyes widened as he watched Unit 01 assault the damaged form of Ramiel. "Commander Ikari! What is this? Wasn't Unit 01 just supposed to suppress the AT field?"

"Are you suggesting the Unit should have stopped? There's work to be done." Rising above his folded hands, Ikari studied the generals and officers before him. "I've merely embarked on an orthodox siege war. In this case, the battering ram's total height was 40 meters and speed, traveled at over 200 meters per second, and was released from over eight thousand meters above the castle. Thus was the battering ram swung and the castle walls brought down. The palisade destroyed, the moat crossed..."

Gendo gestured a gloved hand as Unit 00 joined Unit 01. "My soldiers enter the castle to attack." Gendo's smirk grew. " 'What is happening?' you ask. One thing and one thing **only**. An absolutely one-sided massacre."

The various JSSDF and Nerv personnel stared, torn between Gendo's expression and the two Evangelions. Rei was alternating between firing her missile launcher and hacking away at the walls of the deepening mess the two Evangelions found themselves in. Shinju merely continued her machine's steady shoveling.

"This is the job. We will not fail. Our enemies will be crushed before us, whatever the required means," Gendo said before sitting back down and taking his customary position.

"Is this more your liking?" Fuyutsuki whispered to Gendo.

Ikari looked up at the Command Center's main display. "Quite so. It all comes down to audacity. You saw their reactions. They're starting to understand just what Nerv can do."

"Who Dares Wins." Fuyutsuki muttered.

"There's a reason that's the motto of so many of Azazel's and JSSDF's contemporaries." Gendo smiled thinly.

Fuyutsuki looked up to see the two Evangelions tear into Ramiel's dying body. "Time until core is found?"

"They're eighty percent to the center," Ritsuko stated after glancing down at Maya's terminal. She turned to see Misako standing with a slight smirk.

"Good going, you two! You're almost there!" Misako transmitted.

"What about secondary weapons?" General Ishikari asked

"Or won't it at least try to fly away?" Abukuma added.

"We think its propulsion system is AT field based," Ritsuko explained.

"So when Shinju hit it..." General Yubari chuckled.

"Indeed, the target was trapped," Ritsuko said with a thin smile. Despite the risks, seeing what only minutes ago had been an impregnable fortress reduced to... prey was immensely satisfactory.

"Final perimeter breached!" Makoto shouted. "Core exposed!"

"We're getting an energy spike," Shigeru shouted. White light started to rise up from Ramiel. The majority came from the pit the Evangelions had dug, but some leaked from the various holes that Azazel had punched into the Angel's armor.

"Shinju, Rei, kill it." Gendo ordered. Despite his raised, loud voice, his tone was even, almost mild.

AT fields resurgent, the two sisters stabbed forward, one with the barrel of her empty missile launcher, the other with the degraded remains of her shield. Ramiel rallied the last of its defenses and tried to protect its core, but it was futile. For the second and final time, her AT field collapsed and the crimson core shattered as a weak explosion rippled through the angelic corpse. With a groaning shudder, the ravaged crystalline armor and organs succumbed and collapsed in on itself. A few seconds later the bloody rubble stirred and the two Evangelions extracted themselves from the wreckage.

Once again, Gendo hid his expression behind his hands. Watching the two gore- soaked behemoths march under his command almost made up for the day's earlier failings. After a frustrating afternoon, the evening was definitely looking up.

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In your estimation, the afternoon had taken a decidedly sour turn. With a scowl, your hands fold onto the table. This time, you have no intention of hiding your emotional state. The situation is unacceptable, and made worse by your inability to immediately blame anyone. Captain Ayanami's quick orders had prevented catastrophic damage to Unit 01 and the Fourth Child. Looking over the other personnel in the drab room, they look back up at you; clearly they expect you to have already solved the situation. Shifty gazes, excessive doodling, fingers tapping on the table all point to an undercurrent of nervousness. They expect a solution, but they fear what it will cost. Or do they fear that there is no solution?

"From our testing we've determined that the target will automatically attack any enemy within a 3.5 km range," Captain Ayanami explains, her eyes rapidly darting from person to person. In spite of exasperation, her voice keeps an even pace. "This is from the induction cannons, various decoys, and other artillery we've launched at it."

"And this troublesome probe?" General Yubari asks, his tone brisk.

"It's drilling straight down to the Geo Front and is17.5 meters in diameter and will breach the final layer of armor shortly after 24-hundred hours."

"Assuming a constant rate of boring," Director Beria's voice is sardonic indicating a fatalistic mirth, as he adds to his notes.

The scientist sounds off-put to your ears. Ignoring him. your attention shifts to the Pilots. The First blinks, and showing an unusual level of interest, turns to the Fourth. Something almost like concern washes over the elder Pilot's face. Given the way she trembled slightly whenever she moved her head, you surmise the Fourth was still in some pain. The bleeding had lessened since you had seen her last, in the infirmary.

"I note that none of your tests involved Azazel assets or large missiles." Admiral Sudoplatov's tone is bored, an obvious but effective cover of his true emotions.

"I don't want to have taught Ramiel how to shoot those missiles down. Especially if we need to use Azazel's weapons," Captain Ayanami says with exasperation and a bit of petulance.

"What's the damage to Unit 01?" General Yubari asks. You detect a bare hint of irritation behind his professional tones.

"The left side of the head armor was heavily melted. The left optics were knocked out by the heat and force, but we were able to reboot them. It was fortunate that the Unit was recalled when it was. That was only a glancing blow. Replacement will be completed in one hour." She is controlled, seemingly distant as she reads the list. The military officers seem to become somber at the destructive report.

You feel an involuntary pull at the edges of your lips, but quickly suppress it. Ayanami has progressed well in her self control, but the slight shifts in her tone betray her to anyone observing diligently enough.

"And Unit 00?"

"On standby. There are some feedback errors, but it should be functional for battle," Dr. Akagi's says evenly. Her own deliberate control insufficiently masks her impatience. You know she wants to get back to work, but a plan is required before anything meaningful can actually be accomplished.

Watching old General look over at the Fourth, you note the officer actually wince at seeing the Pilot's pained state. "And the Pilot?" General Yubari glances at the Fourth.

Dr. Akagi frowns at the Fourth with the same expression she gave the damaged Unit 01. "She got a shock from the nerve link. Fortunately the concussion was very mild. She'll be ready to Pilot in a couple hours."

"So what is the plan? Has Nerv finally developed some functional ranged weapons?" General Yubari's voice is morbidly chiding.

"It's not possible." Dr. Akagi's impatient sigh is met with her eyes flashing towards the general.

The Captain slowly turns towards Dr. Akagi; The Ayanami facial features quite incongruous with the pout on her face.

Putting a hand to her temple, Dr. Akagi pauses for a moment; her self control seems to be quite worn out. "Even then, it's not possible! We'd need 180 million mega-Joules and Japan's entire power grid only supplies 176 million kilowatts!"

"Capacitors?" Captain Ayanami asks, direct and straightforward in her question.

"Oh yes, Nerv has capacitors to hold national power grid for 16 minutes?" Director Beria laughs. "Why do you think we use bomb?"

A slight movement on the edge of your vision catches your attention. It is the Fourth. Her frown has deepened, become more thoughtful since you last paid attention to it.

"He's right. We can't shoot at it. Not even with the JSSDF's new positron weapon." Dr. Akagi states.

"Sniping a fortress like that is a bad idea." General Yubari says. "Captain, you've faced scenarios like this. What did we do in those cases?"

"I thought of that. We can't use Azazel to screen an Eva attack. The enemy's AT field is too strong for that. We might as well use Angel Busters, and that doesn't require Evas. It's a fortress and seems almost perfectly built to counter Evangelion." Capitan Ayanami says in what has shifted into a depressed admission.

You notice General Yubari frowning in concern as he raises another relevant question. "What of the evacuation?"

"It will be completed by seventeen hundred hours," Lieutenant Ibuki states, matter of factly. Your dealings with Ibiki are always like this; the young woman efficiently dispenses information when required and stays silent when she has nothing of worth to contribute.

"At least there's a plan." General Yubari curtly states before he turns to Director Beria. "Can Azazel ensure that the Geo Front is not breached?"

"Given the information on its armor...." Director Beria looks at his notes. "It will hold. Though probe does make for weak spot. Could fail there."

"The Magi says it will hold if there are still two layers of armor unpenetrated."

"Computer's material fracture modeling is weak," Director Beria's mutterings catch your ear. You resolve to have the modeling reexamined. Despite being prone to such outburst, the engineer has proven his competence.

"Has Ramiel exhibited any other attacks?" General Yubari asks.

You let most of the conversation pass over you, their chatter is only of minimal utility. The Fourth, however... her expression shows promise. You think she's about to speak, but even if she does not, or if what she says is not helpful, you have let enough time pass. It is nearly time to reassert your control of the situation.

"No, only its particle beam," Captain Ayanami states. "Can Azazel evade the beam?"

"The Moskva IIB should be sufficiently fast." Admiral Sudoplatov states with faux disinterest belying his inner mental state. "We have some S-300Vs standing by too. They can reach mach 8."

"Enough," you state, speaking for the first time. You have to suppress a small smirk at the jolt your voice caused in the officers. "It seems that we are at a disadvantage here. Despite Nerv's sensors and Azazel's radar and Mig-31 patrols all detecting the target simultaneously, we are faced with an enemy that entered the city, essentially unchallenged."

After adjusting your glasses, you watch their attention focus on you. Even the JSSDF and Azazel personnel look to you with traces of hope. "It is only due to a conveniently... sedate invasion that the UN has not ordered a strategic strike. This committee has been given ample time to come up with a solution to this problem. Yet, here before me, considerable time has been spent pointlessly discussing between yourselves. All I can see presented as a solution is the U.N.'s original plan with a small bit of polish!" You stand up as you raise your voice; it is not strictly needed, but the added height strengthens your presence, and with it, your point. Deliberately, you slam your palms on the polished table and glare at the assembled officers, allowing some anger to seep into your words in order to maximize the effect.

"I expect this from Azazel. Nerv is here to save humanity, and if you can't find a solution to a problem as obliging at this- " You point to the azure octahedron "- then NERV deserves to be shut down!"

Silence falls over the assembled officers and scientists. You cannot allow any of the satisfaction you feel at their reaction to leak into your voice. Now is the time to close the deal." You are out of time, out of ideas. Or have any of you come up with a solution?" You ask, sitting back down in a way that looks deliberately forced; you flush the anger from your tone allowing yourself to sound calm again, to sound completely in control. You resteeple your hands. It looks like the only thing Nerv was good at was tormenting doll makers into making presents for little girls.

The Fourth levels her gaze up. Defiance crosses her face as she tries to steady her facial expression, obviously trying to control her pain. Studying her face, you wonder if your initial estimate was correct.

"I can defeat it... if I can get close enough. I can use my AT field to collapse the enemy's. That gives more options in how to damage it too," she says. You feel that tug on the edges of your lips, again. This time you do not fight it.

"AT fields do overlap like that." you smirk behind your hands. It was a start. As you stare down the others in the room, a bit of mirth enters your voice. "A twelve year-old girl came up with the idea."

"But Sir, we can't get an Eva in that close." Dr. Akagi states, her hand rising and spasming slightly. You see frank disbelief color her face. "Our best shield will only give 17 seconds of protection."

"What about using a closer lift building?" Captain Ayanami says blinking and looks at the image of Ramiel. You wonder if she can see the truth. She has a tactical mind, has she seen what the Fourth did?

Dr. Akagi shakes her head. "Nearest would still be a thirty-second run."

"So robot needs to cross 3.5 kilometers in 17 seconds?" Director Beria shrugs acceptingly. You gauge that he has already figured out the method. "That only 205.9 meters per second."

You see Dr. Akagi's eye twitch as she asks sarcastically, "Does anyone here have any idea on how to get a 40 meter tall robot going over 741 kilometers an hour?" It is obvious that she still does not see the bigger picture.

"Rocket sled would be too dangerous, given the required thrust. Too little time." Director Beria mutters. "Though I suppose you can modify your vertical launch systems. Those might give you the acceleration."

You look to the Fourth and see her thoughtful expression replaced with one more, finished with eagerness. You can almost see her trying to raise her hand, without moving her arm.

"They're too large to move, we can't aim them," Dr. Akagi replies.

This could devolve into another bickering meeting at any second. After your speech, that would reflect badly on you, at this point. You decide to speak. "You are overcomplicating things," you state, flatly, with no room for argument. The others hesitate; their debate cut short. You glance to the Fourth, giving her tacit permission to speak the rest of her idea.

You watch the girl pull herself up, your acknowledgement gives her the confidence she needs to overcome her hesitation. You make a note not to be too acknowledging, or that effect may be significantly reduced. "What about those transport planes?" the Fourth asks. "Wouldn't falling be fast enough?"

You relish the subtle twitch above Dr. Akagi's right eye. "Actually terminal velocity-" she tries to explain before being cutoff.

"No, it scales with the height of a given object to the half power. Assuming your planes have a reasonable cruise altitude, yes, your robot will get fast enough." Director Beria shrugs, but you see predatory glee flashes in his eyes. "Besides, to be effective, your shield would be on the bottom, taking brunt of wind, smooth surface less drag than robot."

"We have our solution." You look over your glasses, making it clear that this, despite being a statement, is an order. "Unit 01's AT field will overlap the Angel's and neutralize it. That will give Azazel the chance to hit it with a conventional strike."

You look to Dr. Akagi. "After Unit 01 neutralizes the field, will it survive the impact?"

"Well... nominally, yes. The Evangelion was built to handle airdropping. Though I'm not sure the effect of the AT field impact and the subsequent bombing."

"Yes or no." you tersely ask, knowing the answer.

"It's not outside the operational parameters." Defeat fills Dr. Akagi's voice as you force her to agree to the plan's feasibility.

Watching Beria raise an eyebrow and begin to add to his notepad, you ponder Azazel's role and their goals. You know they desire Nerv's and your secrets, as you desire theirs, but today you are the one in control.

"Are there any objections?" you ask, making it clear that there had better be none unless they pertained to the success of the operation. "Very well. This operation will be ready to go by nineteen hundred."

Captain Ayanami clears her throat. "Yes, Sir. Dr. Akagi, we'll need that shield modified and the flight plan for the airdrop." You note the confidence that has entered her voice. Working together, they could not solve this problem. It took you, and the Fourth, to do that.

"Right. Should only take a couple hours. At least the damn thing started out as an SSTO's heat shield." Dr. Akagi grumbles, her voice flat and resigned.

Behind your hands, you almost allow a small smile. The single-stage to orbit space plane hull was a useful purchase, despite Captain Horaki's complaints.

Captain Ayanami nods, barely suppressing her renewed energy. "Good, I'll be with the Pilots getting their end set up. Admiral we'll need Azazel's forces for the battle. Let's just be thankful the airbase is out of Ramiel's range. Come on, let's go!"

You look and see the Fourth watched the others get up and rush out of the room in small groups. Your eyes briefly make contact, and you see her expression... warm. If tonight succeeds, Captain Horaki's work will further your progress. The First's attitude towards you is appropriately aligned, and it looks like the Fourth is following similarly.

You observe as the Pilots' attention then turns to Captain Ayanami, and they begin to walk away from the meeting talking.

After they leave, you walk back to your office. No doubt, Kozo wants to talk. He seems more talkative lately, especially after he learned of the Captain Horaki project.

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Shinju walked across the gantry platform. Looking over she saw crews hosing down both Evangelions. Unlike Shamshel, Ramiel's blood was far less viscous and was easily sprayed off. However, the higher content of crystalline chunks did give it a more clumpy texture. Walking over to Rei, Shinju's grin grew.

The First Child got down from the cockpit to her plug and watched her sister. She watched as the distance was closed and the Fourth did the expected. What was unexpected was the sobbing coming from the small girl. "Oneechan, we did it."

Rei looked down. "Why are you crying?"

Shinju pulled her head off of Rei's chest and looked up at Rei, confusing the older clone with a mixture of a smile and teary eyes.

Rei stared. "Sorry, I don't know how to express myself, in a situation like this."

"You should smile," Shinju quietly said.

Rei frowned. She had seen a mixture of joy and sadness before. When the Commander had rescued her. Moving her muscles, Rei pulled her face into a smile.

Shinju's own smile grew, and she renewed the embrace.

"Great, job you two!" Misako shouted, running up to her sisters, before stopping cold. The hugging was not odd. Rei had become fairly... protective of Shinju, but the tableau was still... strange. The red eyes contributed, but the effect of matched... unnatural smiles could not be discounted, either.

Worry crossed Shinju's face. "Really?"

Misako suppressed a sigh; it was not Shinju's fault her self-esteem was so fractured. Shinju had recently been made... Shinju. "You two fought very well," Misako said as she wrapped her arms around the two.

Shinju gave a contented sigh. "What about the others? Did the Azazel pilots make it out okay?" she asked as they resumed walking.

Misako nodded. "Yes, they were out of range when they launched their missiles."

The trio entered the locker room and Shinju and Rei began to silently change. After putting on her seifuku, Shinju slipped her headband on and brushed her hair. She then followed Rei out of the room and into a corridor.

After walking down several hallways and two elevators, Misako turned to the silent girls. "So... not going to ask where we're going?"

Rei and Shinju blinked with near-synchronism.

"The Commander requested a meeting. I'm guessing it's a debriefing," Misako explained. She sighed at the lack of response on the part of the other two clones.

After a couple more minutes of walking they came to a door. Inside was a darkened conference room. Sitting at the head of the thick oak table, in his customary position, was Commander Ikari. Light from the hallway reflected off his glasses.

Gendo waited for the Ayanamis to enter the room before he spoke or turned on the lights. "I wanted to talk to you three about your performance." He stared at the three genetically identical young women.

"Um, Sir?" Misako finally asked. She wondered if she should call Captain Sakharov. Though this situation might not be what the UN had in mind with the Azazel bodyguards.

"Under the table there are some boxes, Captain," Gendo stated.

Misako raised an eyebrow and looked under the table. Frowning, she then pulled up three boxes of varying sizes. They were all wrapped in a shining gold foil, bisected by ribbons and crowned on their tops with spiraled hand-made bows.

Shinju's eyes widened slightly. Curious, Rei leaned forward to get a better look at the... presents. Misako simply clenched her jaw and tried to keep her composure. Freaking out would just make things worse.

Interlacing his fingers back together, Gendo rested his chin on his hands.

"Sir, I don't understand." Misako stated.

"You... got us presents?" Shinju asked.

"Your performance today was quite satisfactory," he stated, simply

Shinju ran a hand over the shiny golden paper. "Thank you," she whispered.

Rei slipped her fingers onto the ribbons and slipped them off. With the same mechanical precision, she then went to the paper edges and undid the tape. Cleanly Carefully unwrapping the box, her eyebrows went up as she examined the contents.

Eyes wide with incomprehension, Rei looked at the Commander.

Looking over at the books, Misako's eye twitched. While not technically inappropriate, light romance novels did not seem Rei's... style. Dread grew in Misako as she looked at her own present. In one swift rip, she tore away the paper and stared. Inside the box was a small, very expensive, bottle.

"Uh... thank you, Sir." Misako blinked. "But I thought Mexican liquor was under embargo, ever since the coup."

"I can import giant robots, I think some tequila would provide less of a challenge," Gendo stated. Procurement was trivial with the correct staff.

Trembling slightly, Shinju tried to neatly open her present. Instead her finger slipped and tore along the side of the large box. Blushing, she pulled the rest of the paper off and then opened the plain brown box. After pulling out some soft white packing paper she withdrew a pair of dolls.

Holding the two 30cm tall figures, Shinju tilted her head. Highly detailed, both had realistic human faces and wore finely-made clothing. The female one was dressed as a princess. Though the purple dress had some... familiar detailing. The styling on the gown's bodice and shoulders recalled a plugsuit, and the skirting and gloves had similar coloration. She had red eyes and long, glossy-white hair pulled up into a curled bun.

The crown was reminiscent of a melding of Shinju's interface headset and her headband. While the jewels on the doll's chest and wrists was similar to those on a Nerv dress uniform.

Similarly, the male doll was dressed in a melding of the Nerv uniform and a type of medieval court-wear. The uniform was slightly dressier and the doll had a long sword on his hip. The prince doll's eye color matched the princess, while his hair was in a slightly more grey shade of white.

Misako tried to gauge Shinju's reaction. "Those are very nice," Misako said, hoping that Shinju was not... upset.

"They're very nice," Shinju said, staring at the princess doll. "Thank you, Father."

Misako inspected her bottle and kept from frowning. _What is this about? Is he just trying to be... nice? Or is this the only way he can acknowledge his... child?_ Misako thought to herself. _A cute princess doll does send a message. Though, it might just be little girls like cute things._ _At least I've got something to keep me from thinking about this all night_.

Misako's gasped in realization and nearly dropped her tequila. _That magnificent bastard! Giving me booze! He might as well have dropped a signed note telling me to shut up and stop worrying._

"Is there something wrong, Captain?" Gendo asked.

"Oh nothing Sir, I'm just thinking about your gift."

"Don't overexert yourself. You need to maintain your readiness."

"Sir," Misako replied, watching Gendo walk through the room

Standing between Rei and Shinju, he gave each a squeeze on the shoulder. "Now I want you to take good care of our Pilots. They did good work today, that should be rewarded." Removing his hands he adjusted his glasses and walked out of the room.

Misako waited for the door to close. "Okay, what was that all about?"

"Father was just being nice.... right?" Shinju asked.

Misako laughed. "My, my. How little you know." Holding the bottle under her arm, she stood up.

"These are nice dolls," Shinju pouted, boxing up her dolls.

Misako walked to Rei and Shinju's side of the table. "Yes, they are very nice," she said before giving one of Shinju's hair bows a playful flick. "What about you, Rei, do you like your gift?"

"I haven't read these before. I'll enjoy reading them," Rei stated as she folded up her wrapping paper and put it in her box of books. Only Shinju noticed the slight pinking to Rei's cheeks.

Turning away, Misako chuckled as she and Shinju cleaned up their wrapping paper. "Well, you both deserve a good night's sleep. Come on. We'll go back to Central Dogma, and Captain Sakharov can drive us home."

End Chapter 2

Writer's Notes:

Those familiar with Hellsing will doubtlessly note the familiarity of the scenario and of Gendo's speech. One other thing, it was while watching Ramiel's battle that I got the very idea for this fic. That was namely in the figures thrown around as to what it would take to breach an AT field.

Special thanks to Stratagemini for not only coming up with the 2nd Person Gendo scene, but also going over it with me line by line.

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray, Nadrek, Ikarus, Mike Koos, and Jerry Starfire.


	3. Competitive Edge

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh Temple

Naturally, I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. So here's the disclaimer:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

.com/

Temporary Backup Site.

.com/fic/

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Three: Competitive Edge

"It seems that there were no major difficulties synchronizing Azazel, Nerv, and JSSDF communications," General Yubari noted. Representatives from all three organizations were in the appropriately bland conference room.

"Yes, the radio systems were successfully integrated. It helped that the Russian systems were so simple," Ritsuko brightly agreed.

"Yes, we do not have access to a centralized organic computing core. Our funding was more controlled," Director Beria added.

"One issue I noted was the lack of direct communication on the pilots," Yubari said, trying to preempt the argument.

Gendo's eyes went to the old general.

"Pardon?" Admiral Sudoplatov asked.

"The Azazel pilots were not directly communicating with the Nerv Pilots." Yubari explained.

"Allowing them to directly request for support would save time," Misako allowed.

"But we would need to train the Pilots more. I am wary of the giving young girls the ability to directly call in N2 and nuclear weapons."

"They are already Piloting Eva," Misako reminded.

"Yes, that is why I am merely wary, instead of aghast," Yubari nodded. "One major deficiency was the weaponry available to the Evangelion. The progressive knife is too small in range, and neither the Pallet Rifle or the Bazooka are effective." General Yubari sighed. "Even firing into an Angel without an active AT field, Rei was barely able to do more damage than Shinju who was using an improvised shovel."

"Might as well give her a real shovel then," Admiral Sudoplatov dryly offered.

"A progressive entrenching tool could be effective," Misako agreed. "It would be less clumsy than the axe design. We can get some people on it."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

"Still, there is a dearth of effective ranged weapons," Yubari noted. "Your 'heavy' weapons have severe limitations in their velocity and warhead size."

"The complexity of auto-loading required such compromises," Ritsuko stated.

General Yubari's blank stare rivaled the Commander's

Misako coughed. "Sir, that's why we pushed for Second Branch to come up with something, fast. They went to the Americans, who went to a warehouse of mothballed weapons, but they got something that can work. It's only single-shot but...." Misako pulled out a couple photographs and slid them over.

The generals looked over the images. One showed a plain, seemingly stubby mortar that was mounted in a below-ground emplacement. The next photo showed the same gun mounted in a stock, scaled for an Evangelion. " Little David?" Yubari chuckled. It was getting hard to be surprised at anything Azazel or Nerv did. "What's the delay?"

"Shells for this thing haven't been made for over sixty years, and it hasn't fired in even longer," Ritsuko explained. "However, the opportunity to fire a 1,700 kg shell with a 1,200kg warhead, 10 kilometers is... useful."

Beria chuckled. "See? Bomb is not so bad. Nuclear or N2 payload?"

"Currently, N2 warheads are planned. We've developed a shaped charge that can focus the blast. Evidence has shown that even an unfocused N2 blast can cause damage to a protected Angel." Ritsuko explained.

"This prototype is more of a proof of concept. Data from field testing will be used in the next generation of weapons and munitions"

Beria looked over the notes. "Not bad. Our support reduces range limitations, but it is slower. This gives immediate support "

"That is the idea," Ritsuko tersely said.

"And how long will this take to develop?" General Abukuma's voice hardly concealed his exasperation.

"Section Four has confirmed that it is currently being loaded onto a C5 Galaxy," Gendo stated. "Testing will begin tomorrow."

"At least there's already a barren wasteland for you to test them out," Yubari noted.

"Though your simulation software is improving. Which should supplement field exercises nicely," Yubari noted.

"The design on the Angels is difficult, especially given how varied in form they can be. However we've accounted for this by having the simulation learn from each run. This makes for more varied challenges for the Pilots," Ritsuko explained.

"Good," Yubari flipped through his notes. "I think that has all of our comments. Tomorrow's testing should be... interesting."

"There is more." Gendo mildly stated as he unsteepled his hands to adjust his left glove. "Evangelion does have strategic deficiencies to be concerned about. We are all well aware of them. One, the system is dependant on external power. Two, we are forced to use people born post Second Impact as Pilots. Doctor Akagi will explain the two programs we have to address these issues."

"Er, yes," As Ritsuko activated a projector she gave a frosty glare to the commander. "As you know an Evangelion requires immense power to operate and is normally supplied via an umbilical," she explained as a collection of graphs and schematics of various batteries showed up.

"Without the umbilical a Unit has five minutes of normal operation to one minute of strenuous operation. External power packs-" She clicked to the next page in the presentation, which showed large black batteries that clipped to the shoulder pylons of Unit 01. "- can double this range."

General Ishikari nodded. "Yes, we've seen the training. The margins can get quite close, but it is feasible to have an Evangelion resupply itself. However that only doubles the loiter."

"There is also the issue of Unit 00 not having compatible shoulder sockets," General Yubari added.

"The Prototype Unit's operational upgrade includes that feature," Ritsuko said, holding her voice even. "We have a new external power pack that is being tested. It's really just a double sized version of our current packs, but that does triple the unloaded range."

"Fifteen minutes between resupply does give us a lot more options," Misako said.

"One of our suppliers is also working on a way to double the power density of these packs. An early version of this technology is in Unit 02." Ritsuko gave a slight glance to Ikari and sighed. "However, these are all stopgap measures."

"Oh? Given the duration of the previous battles one would think that a half hour of normal operation would be more than sufficient," General Yubari noted.

"Sir, the fact is we do not know nearly as much as we should about the Enemy."

"That is another strategic failing. Though it is one that falls outside the purview of Project E itself." Yubari's eyes went between the Commander and the Admiral.

Ritsuko allowed a small smile as she watched Fuyutsuki shift in his seat. Unfortunately, Gendo maintained his composure.

"Our long range power goal is the successful creation of a Super Solenoid Engine. Don't let the name fool you, it's not really an engine at all."

Beria perked up. "Oh? That much is correct at least."

"You're familiar with the theory?" Ritsuko's eyes narrowed.

The engineer shrugged. "It was one of Dr. Katsuragi's more intriguing theories. It was a bit too speculative, but an interesting concept. Shame he is dead. Would have been most helpful with such a project, no?"

"Did you know Dr. Katsuragi?" Misako stared at the old Russian.

"Dedicated researcher. Only met him at a couple times. Neither one of us went to many conferences, and our curriculum vitas were... sparse. You know the gilded cages they like to keep our type in," he sardonically said splitting his attention between Ritsuko and Misako.

Ritsuko held her tongue. It was possible that Dr. Beria really did know Dr. Katsuragi pre-impact. Both were well-versed in high energy physics. However, a certain expedition did bear his name, and his daughter had recently "died". That was too much to dismiss as coincidence.

"I'm led to conclude that since it is not an engine, a... Super Solenoid would be a new type of battery. One that has an improved duration?" Yubari asked.

"That is correct, Sir. The theory uses superconductivity among other concepts, to drastically increase the energy density of a storage device," Ritsuko's explanation was precise, academic and only a bit stilted.

Yubari nodded. "Beria, is that correct?"

"Broadly speaking. The problem with Katsuragi's theorem is the implementation. It remains to be seen if Nerv can actually build such a device."

"Third Branch has taken up the design and construction," Ritsuko stated.

"Ah, then I shall be quite surprised if they manage to make a functional test-apparatus."

"And what is the operational time of an Evangelion using such a device?"

"It would allow for several days of operation. The exact numbers depend on how large the device is and what safeties will be required in charging it." Ritsuko wondered if Beria was aware of the finer, and more esoteric points, of S2 theory.

"Possible, Katsuragi did detail the power scale. Perhaps it would work," Azazel's science chief allowed.

"What about safety? This seems to be quite experimental. What about another high-density power system?" General Abukuma asked.

"All of Project E is very experimental," Ritsuko noted. "And the only analogous power system is a nuclear reactor. Which for reasons of weight, safety, and waste heat is ill advised in a front-line combat machine," Ritsuko stated, grinning at Beria.

Beria sighed. "Crudely stated, but power requirements are enormous."

"This S2 technology is still in development. How long before we have something that can be used in battle?" Yubari asked.

"It's looking like several months. The manufacture is... difficult." Ritsuko frowned at Beria's self-satisfaction.

"More money then." Yubari sighed. "However, the other battery improvements would remove quite a lot of pressure, and are currently feasible. What of the other deficiency? Is there a way around the Pilot problem?"

"There's no problem with the Pilots," Misako icily stated.

Ritsuko made a note on the margin of her pad. Despite this and her father being mentioned, Misako had maintained her composure. At least the dosage seemed about right.

Yubari raised his hand. "You misunderstand. Your sisters have done exemplary work. They've done more than anyone could reasonably have asked, but even ignoring their age, there's still only two of them. In the entire world only four Pilots have been found." The JSSDF general cleared his throat. "One's already dead, and one is still in Germany."

"There have been some hassles with getting the transfer. Though we can use that as an opportunity to unify our standards. The Second Child has been training for a long time but...."

"It's to the old-Nerv standards?" General Ishikari smirked slightly.

Misako gave a slight nod.

"We know that the technology in Evangelion is... finicky. What is your solution?" General Abukuma asked.

Ritsuko paused. "We call it the Dummy Plug system. The idea is to use a modified entry plug that 'tricks' the Evangelion into thinking that one of the Children is synchronizing with it."

"So it's an auto-pilot?" Yubari ventured.

"It can be. It's also a way to give direct commands to the Evangelion. This would eliminate the need to send the Children out as Pilots."

"Why is this system not already in use?" Yubari's voice was flat.

"It's rather difficult to simulate synchronization. This is expected, as synchronization itself is rather difficult. There are currently only three people on the planet that can do it."

"The perils of a telepathic user interface. Perhaps there was a bit too much reliance on bio-technology." Beria had the last word floating in sarcasm.

"How do you think we got such speed and performance out of a giant war machine?" Ritsuko demanded.

"Enough," Gendo neutrally stated. "I suppose I should have expected a discussion about something simple like planned upgrades degenerating into childish bickering. If there are no more... productive questions?" He asked as he stood up.

General Yubari looked at his notes. "I think we're done here. Though further briefings on the Evangelion upgrades will be required, especially on these proposed power and Piloting changes."

"Set an appointment with Dr Ritsuko and she'll give you a more detailed briefing." Gendo gave a curt nod to the assembled officers and left the room with Fuyutsuki in tow. The pair were silent as they walked the corridors to Ikari's office. However once inside...

"What the hell was that?" Fuyutsuki asked once the door had been shut and locked. "What do you have planned next? Showing them the guest we have in Terminal Dogma? Or maybe you'll give them a briefing on the Human Instrumentality Project?"

Gendo sat down in his chair and looked at his mentor for a few seconds. "The Angels return and home right in on the one city purpose built to fight them. They're not stupid Kozo. Azazel, the JSSDF, they have to know we've got something, something that keeps the Angels coming."

"And what you'll show it to them?"

Gendo leaned on his steepled hands. "I'll show them what needs to be shown. If showing them our 'guest' is what it takes to reach our goals, I'll do it. You'll note that the briefs on the Super Solenoid and Dummy Plug projects have been carefully scrubbed of... critical information."

Fuyutsuki sighed and looked out one of the windows and at the forests waters of the Geo Front. "I suppose it was inevitable. It's not like we could conceal autonomous, self-powered Evangelions. Trying to keep seemingly logical improvements secret would raise further questions."

"Correct, but you are overlooking other factors." Gendo turned away from his desk to face Kozo.

"Oh?"

Gendo picked up a folder, withdrew an image, and held it up.

"So that's Nippon Heavy Industry Solidarity's pet project," Kozo noted as he inspected the pictured mech. "That's why you told the JSSDF? You're worried... about this?"

"What do you suggest I do? Sabotage?"

"That would express expediency. We do not need more competition, as ineffective as this might be."

"And such a convenient happenstance that would be."

"There'd be no proof."

"Does it matter? We can get the blame, especially with.... cheaper alternatives. Do you want to risk another reorganization?" Gendo leaned back slightly. "Even if we succeeded and the blame does not fall on us. What does that buy us?"

"NHIS would no longer be a competitor."

"I'm afraid that we have missed the opportunity to establish a monopoly. No, there will be competitors."

"All because some Russians figured they could throw a bomb in an Angel's face."

Gendo chuckled. "Do not pity Azazel. Competition is nipping at their heels too. The other nuclear powers are asking the UN why they can't form their own Special Duty Organizations."

"So what is your plan? Are you going to let NHIS test their robot? Without any interference?"

"Of course," Gendo adjusted his glasses.

"Ikari...."

"You forget. Yes, the situation has changed, for all of us. Do you think the JSSDF will really buy this thing? Why?"

"Well, it's cheaper. It doesn't need to have children piloting it. And it doesn't need an extension chord."

"And you wonder why I told them about S2 engines and Dummy Plugs."

"Those projects are a long way from completion, and Nerv 03 may never be able to make functional S2 Engines."

"And you think NHIS can make their robot generate an AT field?"

Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow. "True. Jet Alone would fail against an Angel."

"Rather spectacularly, and if there is one thing the current climate will not accept, it is failure."

"So they fail and get shut down. Meanwhile they continue to waste funding."

"Kozo that's not a mockup. That's their prototype. The fools think it's ready for a demonstration."

Fuyutsuki turned away from the window. "Really?"

"Now do you see?"

"But without an AT field, it can't be ready for battlefield use."

Gendo nodded. "But that doesn't mean that Jet Alone's other features cannot be tested."

"The JSSDF wouldn't sign off on a worthless prototype."

"Not when the money can be spent in more productive ways."

"Is that your plan, then?" Fuyutsuki gave a tiny smile.

"Nerv officially welcomes the prospect of further combat resources, provided they are proven, effective systems, and we will gladly offer whatever assistance we can in verifying any such system."

Kozo chuckled. "Quite the risk you're taking. What if Shinju is actually defeated by this robot?"

"Do you honestly see that as a possibility?"

Fuyutsuki shook his head.

"Nippon Heavy Industry Solidarity wants to compete with us? Fine." Gendo adjusted his gloves. "But there is a stiff penalty for joining this little club. Azazel killed an Angel in one shot. We went toe to toe with two and killed them by cutting them up and ripping out their guts. What does NHIS think they can do?"

"Probably shoot it with lasers." Fuyutsuki laughed. "So you will be sending representatives to NHIS's little demonstration?"

"I'm thinking Captain Ayanami and Dr. Akagi have the correct temperament. Naturally, I'll be informing them of Nerv's official policy."

The older man chuckled again. "Might I suggest you inform the Admiral. I'm sure he'd be willing to send the Director."

"Dr. Beria? Why?"

"Beria is an acerbic, sarcastic, cocksure bastard. He does not suffer fools. I know the type." Fuyutsuki relished the minute shift in Gendo's expression. "Of course I speak from my experience as a professor."

"Ah yes, the academic world, but why bring him? The man has no love for Project E. He considers us a horrible waste of money."

"Yes, but we're a waste of money that kills angels. What do you think his opinion will be of a project that has no hope of making an effective weapon?"

Gendo's eyes widened slightly; he then gave a single short laugh.

Fuyutsuki nodded. "I'll make sure Beria gets an invitation, after all he is an expert on nuclear physics."

"I do wonder. He clearly knows a fair bit about AT fields and Super Solenoid theory." Gendo closed the folder. "He may decide to enumerate exactly how useless Jet Alone will be."

"Even if he does know all of Eva's secrets, surely he won't blurt them out in public. How does that serve Azazel?"

"I doubt he'll say everything, provided he actually knows everything, but I can see him doling out information to maximize their pain. Especially since he'd realize just how hopeless NHIS's task is."

Fuyutsuki sighed. "I suppose its for the best that the Akagis were so... stable."

Gendo raised an eyebrow, but the former professor had a point. When one compared the Director to Doctor Akagi, and her mother...

"This still begs the question of what is to be done about Azazel? We still do not know their true motives."

"Everything that we have learned seems to fit their ostensible goals. A secret commission formed after the Second Impact. Analysis of their footage from Antarctica, infiltration of various UN commissions..."

"Not to mention the very real possibility of their penetration of the Artificial Evolution Laboratory. After all, Gehirn's front was, publically, setup to investigate the 'Giant of Light'."

"Could they actually be honest?"

Gendo scoffed. "In this age no honest organization can survive."

"Then what are they up to?"

"It could be simple graft and crooked dealings. Part of me wonders if the Russians, of all people, would be interested in Instrumentality, and the more suspicious part reminds me that that makes an ideal cover."

"We could go around in circles this way." Fuyutsuki snorted and turned back to the window. "Azazel has handpicked the best in equipment and manpower from the, admittedly threadbare, Russian forces. Obviously they would be pick the best at Maskirovka as well."

"The proximity helps. They may guard our Pilots, but we are hosting their aircraft and their officers."

"And they know that, so our assets will only record what they want us to hear." Gendo sighed. "The utility of this is limited, after all they still have the ability to stop Instrumentality, at nearly any phase."

"Oh? Would a nuclear weapon really be effective towards the end? Even if they vaporize Tokyo 3, it would be far too late."

"Not one, all of them."

"All of them?" Fuyutsuki blinked. "But-"

"Do you think Azazel is that squeamish? Scorched Earth is their heritage, and Mutually Assured Destruction was their longest running foreign policy. We must realize the full scope of what we face here."

"Then they must be neutralized." Fuyutsuki rubbed his forehead. "However would this threat not exist without Azazel? There are other nuclear powers."

"Obviously, Seele planned to neutralize their command authorities and to delay their intelligence assets, until it was too late."

"But now the cat's out of the bag."

"It gets worse, this all presumes that either the Dummy Plug system works or we have access to the Pilots."

"Hostages?"

Gendo shook his head. "If Azazel plays their cards right, the Ayanamis could go over to their side, willingly."

"So the dolls did not help?"

"Shinju thinks better of me than I could have ever foreseen, but her mind is fragile, and I am, at best, a distant father figure. The influence of the Captain and her Azazel guard cannot be ignored."

"Even Rei?"

"Between her loyalty to me, and her loyalty to her 'sisters' which do you think she'll choose?"

Fuyutsuki scratched his chin. "I don't know. I don't even think her mind could handle that kind of uncertainly."

"The mere fact that uncertainty has entered her mind has shown just the situation we are in."

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Devastation surrounded Shinju. In every direction, her view-screens showed barren blasted terrain. She looked down at the weapon in her Evangelion's hands. The whole weapon was over ten meters long and had a thick, wide barrel that was over a meter on its outer diameter.

It had a reinforced stock and a basic trigger and guard. Relative to Unit 01, the stubby... cannon looked like some sort of giant blunderbuss, minus the expanded barrel end. However like the blunderbuss, the fore-stock contained a recessed track for a similarly scaled ramrod.

Shinju raised the gun and looked down immense iron sights. However, the Evangelion's targeting computer overlaid a bright green line down the length of the barrel and out into the distance, though it did widen into a fuzzy cone after ten miles or so.

"Remember to seat it against your shoulder, and put most of your weight on your leading foot," Misako advised over the comm-link.

"Right." Shinju adjusted the Unit's stance. "Is the range clear?" Shinju

"Range is clear, permission to fire," Misako replied while a warning siren sounded.

Sighting the cannon over the target, Shinju depressed the trigger. A giant, almost turnip-shaped shell launched out, and the gun slammed into Unit 01's shoulder, nearly lifting the immense machine's foot off the ground.

Four kilometers away, the shell slammed into a tank, a broken remnant from the initial assault on Sachiel. The shell flew true and impacted on the target, that was only a few times larger than itself. Over a ton of high explosives ignited and tank was utterly destroyed. A plume of smoke and debris shot up over the torn terrain.

"Good shot!" Misako cheered "How's it feel?"

"It kicks pretty hard." Shinju flexed her shoulder. "How bad are the real ones going to be?"

"They've got the exact same propellant charge as the practice rounds," Ritsuko reminded.

"Let's try reloading," Misako suggested.

Shinju nodded and lowered the gun, and holding it one handed flipped open a large satchel sling over the Unit's side. She pulled out another 914 mm shell and verified that it was a blue-painted practice round. All the shells in the satchel were practice rounds, but it was prudent to check anyway. She then thumbed the combination shell and propellant into the barrel. Pulling out the ramrod she flipped it over and pushed the shell down the barrel. Once the shell was seated she returned the large steel and titanium ramrod back to its sleeve. Re-shouldering the gun, Shinju once again looked down the sights. "Ready to shoot."

"Clear to fire," Misako approved and signaled the warning siren to be set off.

"You know, this is all rather absurd," Ritsuko commented as she watched a forty meter tall robot blow up a group of battered armored vehicles using an immense muzzle-loading cannon.

The command crew watched as the smoke cleared, seemingly in equal amounts around the target and the Evangelion.

"Oh?" Misako asked. "It's supposed to be simple. I mean it's not like our Bazookas can handle the pressure. It works," Misako said before turning back to Shinju. "What do you say we try to figure out the range of this thing?"

"Okay Oneesan," Shinju said.

"How's the Little David?"

"It's simpler than that old gun you had me shooting this morning." Shinju recalled firing that short-barreled weapon. An actual blunderbuss, it had a flared barrel end and, unlike the internal igniter of the Little David, used small percussion caps to ignite the action. The propellant container had to be ripped open and dumped in, instead of simply ramming it down the barrel with the projectile.

"We wanted to get you familiar with the action," Misako stated.

"I wouldn't want to have to reload this in battle," Shinju stated as she completed putting in a third practice round.

"That is a problem. The plan is to fire it once and then close in on to the angel while its stunned."

"Stunned?" Shinju asked as she automatically pointed the gun low and downrange.

"Yes, the first blast damaged Sachiel and kept it from moving. We believe that a shaped N2 charge will give enough force to stop an Angel. That will help you get close to it," Ritsuko explained.

"Isn't that what Azazel is for?" Shinju asked.

"Their air support does fill that role, but it's more delayed. With the Little David, and other systems, you or Rei can provide immediate support." Misako looked over the display of the range. "Okay, try target number seven, that one's ten kilometers out. Let's see what this gun can do."

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"Come on we're gonna be late!" Shirane whined as they cut through the thick crowds.

"You're the one that wants to see this movie," Horaki grumbled, looking ahead. At least the Ayanamis' friends made sure that they were not slowed.

"You don't like this movie?"

"Do I really look like I'd want to see a movie about the Battle of Incheon?"

"Then why are you here?" Rei asked.

Horaki sighed. "I lost a bet. Leave it to Miss-Fan girl over here to actually start talking with her crush."

"I was just asking what he thought about the last battle, and anyway, he recommended this movie." Shirane gave a private little smirk.

Just in sight of the cinema, Horaki stopped. "Now you wouldn't be taking advantage of a certain friendship would you?"

"Of course not! And keep walking! We're gonna miss it!"

Horaki sighed. "Only the previews."

"That's good, I can't even bring you guys into the Geo Front," Shinju reminded.  
"Next time I'll make the bet over whether you ask him out on a date." Horaki frowned as they resumed their walk. "So why are you here Rei? I mean... you guys actually do this stuff."

"Shinju is here."

Horaki rolled her eyes. "Well yes, but that's because she's deathly afraid of saying no."

Shinju blushed. "The movie might be good."

"Of course it will be." Shirane assured.

"So, how are those books you got?" Horaki asked.

Rei kept walking. "They are informative."

"I didn't think they were your kind of book," Shirane noted.

Tilting her head Rei turned to look at the younger girl. "Fiction is... new to me."

"Right." Shirane then confidently walked up to the ticket window. "Yeah the current showing of Eve of Incheon, we'll need... Oh, Lieutenant Khariton how many of your men will be going in?"

The clerk raised an eyebrow. "That's R-15. Are you girls even thirteen?"

Showing more fluid speed than one would expect from such a large man, Igor placed himself at Shirane's side. "Is problem?" he asked, his accent thickening.

The theater clerk looked up... and up. It was only after a few moments of staring at insanely focused eyes and immense fists that he noticed the man was carrying an automatic rifle, and had well over a dozen, similarly dressed, if a bit smaller, men behind him.

"Er... I'm sorry, Sir, but the movie is restricted. No one under fifteen allowed," the clerk stammered. He had heard the stories about these new Russians...

Igor sniffed. "Little man. You recognize these girls?"

Looking where the giant Russian was pointing, the clerk froze.

"Yes, they Pilots. Your movie will not scare them."

"Of course," the clerk swallowed.

"Movie is important. Relaxation important for soldier. Yes?"

"Right you are..." He looked around, hoping for a manager to push it off onto. At least when Nerv leaned, they were not so... overt. "So... how many tickets do you want?"

"That was a mean trick," Horaki said after they bought the tickets and entered the theater.

"Oh?"

"You wanted to see this movie, but you were too young. So you had Shinju come."

Shirane turned to face her friend. "Like you've never asked Kodama to get you something on a 'special deal'. Anyway, we've still got to hurry, otherwise we'll miss it."

"Fine. fine," Horaki's sigh was cutoff when they entered the theater. The image of an Evangelion being dropped from an immense flying wing dominated the screen.

As they walked further into the theater, Shinju stared at the giant screen. She watched as her Evangelion fell towards the earth. The footage was not new to her, she had seen it many times during the debriefings, but the voiceover was.

"In a daring air-attack, Ayanami Shinju pilots Eva Unit 01 right into the enemy. Despite taking heavy fire she stays the course," a booming, confident voiceover actress intones. "The enemy's defenses defeated, Azazel is now able to provide fire support."

Shinju looked over to see Shirane's eyes gleefully wide as the girl watched N2 missiles explode inside the Angel.

"However the work of our brave Pilots is not done. Pilot Ayanami Rei arrives in the newly repaired Unit 00. Under heavy fire she scales the Angel itself and starts helping her sister finish off the foul invader," the deep contralto, authoritarian voiceover continued.

"The enemy, unable to withstand humanity's might, crumbles, destroyed by the pinnacle of human science and skill. By harnessing the power of robotics, biological engineering and the atom humanity will win this war."

The screen shifted from the Evangelions striding out of the crumbling carcass of Ramiel to an aerial shot of an airbase. Various fighter aircraft, bombers, and transports are arrayed parked in presentation ranks. In the back, Dominating the scene is the black flying wing of an Evangelion transport. "Special Duty Organization Azazel was created to provide aerial support for the war effort. It is in only the most dire circumstances that they are to unleash the terrible power at their disposal."

"I thought they were setup to nuke the Angels," Shirane said as they sat down in some, generously vacated seats.

"Is this what you had us hurry up to see?" Horaki whispered.

"The technological prowess is only part of the story. Both the Evangelion and the Angel Buster missile would be useless without their pilots," the voiceover shifted as the screen transitioned to the dinner event where Zel'dovich lifted up Shinju.

"Captain Andrei Zel'dovich, an Ace pilot who scored seven kills in the brief Russo-Sino war following the Second Impact, recently added two more kills." The screen changed to show Zel'dovich giving a sheepish grin as a second halo was added to his Su-33.

Now the cinema showed a plug-suited Shinju watching as another kill mark was stenciled onto Unit 01. "Not to be outdone, Pilot Ayanami Shinju achieved her second kill in the same battle. However the credit is shared, with the cost of defeat so total all of humanity must rise together to destroy this foe. Also qualifying for kills are Ayanami Rei and Captians Yakov and Borisovich who were critical in killing the enemy.

"The question on everyone's lips is: who will be the first Angel Ace?" the voiceover almost sounded amused at the question.

Noticing Shinju's squirming and blushing, Shirane leaned over. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll get it."

The screen now showed a several black and white photos of a giant, but stubby looking gun. "The latest weapon to be deployed is the 914 mm Little David G-mod. This heavy mortar is the largest gun ever built. It out-sizes the German Dora and even Atomic Annie herself. The excessive weight meant the piece was restricted to being an experimental test bed. Eventually it was put into storage, in case its immense power was ever needed.

"The foresight of the US Army paid off. In the hands of Evangelion the Little David's weight became a triviality and with Azazel's support the gun can take on a new role." Now Unit 01 shouldered a modified version of the mortar and fired it like some type of short heavy gun.

"This weapon gives Evangelion the ability to fire a shell weighing over a ton directly at the enemy. The footage you're seeing is merely with training rounds. However it shows the pinpoint accuracy the Little David is capable of, in the right hands. Let's see what happens when Shinju demonstrates the power of a real warhead."

The footage cut to show, once again, Unit 01 shouldering the weapon. The giant explosion at the muzzle and knockback of the immense war-machine were the same, but the difference came when the warhead hit downrange.

Its target was an immense concrete and steel structure. Scoured and chipped from the Angel Buster that had detonated nearby, the bunker was still firmly rooted into the stone of the ridgeline.

A sharp shockwave shot out, carrying tens of thousands of small fragments. This was obscured by the return implosion and the buoyancy driven mushroom cloud. Impassively, the Evangelion withstood the blast-wave and waited for the fires and smoke to clear.

Not only was the bunker gone, but the entire hillside had been shattered and cut through and through by what looked like a giant fist. The warhead had hit the bunker, shattered the concrete and rock and then gone on to blow out the other side. The cavity bisected the ridgeline in a gaping wound. "With this Nerv has the firepower to knock down the enemy, allowing them to close in for the kill."

As the patriotic music swelled - the girls looked at Shinju who practically glowed pink in embarrassment at the eyes looking at her. "I think they noticed you," Horaki whispered to Shinju.

"Uh, the movie's about to start." Shinju looked up and noticed that the short had finished. A movie preview was starting, but the audience's attention was... elsewhere.

"It's the Eva Pilots!" a young male a few rows behind them shouted.

"Is it true? Will that gun really kill an Angel?" an older women off to the side asked.

"Is this Azazel? Are you working with them?" another voice inquired.

"How come you're so young?"

"You both came to see a war movie?"

From the row behind them, Igor leaned forward. "How you want handle this?"

Blushing, Shinju looked to Rei. Oneechan simply stared back. This was not a situation she was familiar with.

"Well... they're just curious right?" Shinju quietly asked.

"You want to talk?"

Shinju shook her head. "No, but... maybe they're just curious."

Igor nodded. "Right, we try your way. If no work, we try mine." He then helped Shinju up so that she stood on her seat.

Looking at all the eyes staring at her, Shinju swallowed. Part of her wanted to run away. Part of her wanted to tell Igor to get them out of here, now. But another part was thinking: _Open your heart._ "Um... I'm Ayanami Shinju, this is my Oneechan, Rei and these are our friends. Uh... thanks..."

The crowd's murmuring quieted.

"For what? You're the one in the giant robot" the same young man that initially exclaimed asked.

"Yeah..." Shinju closed her eyes. _Open your heart._ "We do the fighting, but you.... you all have to deal with it. The last battle had us setting off N2 missiles only a few blocks from here.

"It's going to get tough... you saw the video, you know what happens when the Angels attack. We can, we can beat this enemy, but there will be a lot of... damage. You're the ones that will have to bear that."

"Why you? Why are you all so young?"

Shinju paused, recalling the public cover story. "You have to have been born after the Second Impact. Oneechan was the first Pilot. There was a shortage... they needed me."

"Did the Third Child really die in battle? What happened?"

Shinju lowered her head. "Y- Yes... yes he did."

"But what happened?"

Shinju shook her head.

"That information is restricted," Rei stated, her even voice cutting through the room.

"Our enemies.... the Angels will destroy us all. Humanity must use whatever tools it has to ensure victory. We cannot fail. We will not fail." Flush, Shinju recited from memory as she slowly opened her eyes.

A slight, young girl held the crowd's attention. Rapt by her crimson eyes they watched as her voice gained a sense of... depth. "What do you want to know?"

"Why the Russians? I mean... why here?" the older woman hesitated when the young Pilot turned to look at her. In that moment she _understood_ that she was looking at someone who had killed two Angels with her own, or rather her Evangelion's hands.

Shinju blinked. "Azazel is here to fight the Angels; just like Nerv. We have to work together."

"Is that why they're guarding you? Why not Nerv? Or at least JSSDF? They've got some real commandos." the young man asked.

Igor gave Shinju a seemingly lazy glance.

Shinju chewed her lip. "We have to work together."

"But why them?"

Rei stood up. "Azazel's Naval Infantry detachment has met Commander Ikari's approval. I doubt you have superior insight on the situation."

"We guard the most powerful weapon devised by man," Igor's deep voice rumbled. "Who else would be better suited to guard those that pilot the second most?"

The crowd, especially the young man under Igor's gaze, cooled slightly.

"What are the Angels up to?" The same older woman asked again.

"Yeah, are they going to come in force?" someone in back, that Shinju thought was wearing a Nerv uniform asked. "And what about the Second Impact? Are they taking advantage of our weakness... or did they send that meteorite?"

Rei shifted to get a look at the questioner's face. He should know better. "That is restricted."

Shinju frowned. "I'm sorry. I don't know how long this will take... I don't know... I'll promise that I'll do all that I can to destroy them. That's all any of us can promise."

"Movie starting," Igor stated.

"Sorry for that," Shinju tried to bow and almost fell when the seat she was standing on shifted. Igor quickly reached out, and gently kept the girl steady. He then helped Shinju climb down and sit back in her seat. In the dimness, the other patrons shuffled back to their seats and turned their attention to the projection screen.

"Are you happy? You wanting to see some war movie created a huge scene?" Nozomi hissed to Shirane.

"Hey, I just wanted to arrive in time to see the Nerv short." Shirane shrugged and turned to Shinju. "Yeah... sorry about that. You okay?"

Shinju nodded.

"Well I'm sure Eve of Incheon will help."

Nozomi sighed. "Yes, nothing like a war movie to distract our little Pilot's mind."

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In Ritsuko's office Misako leaned back and sighed. "So that's the plan?"

Lighting up a cigarette, Akagi nodded. She blew out a plume of smoke.

"Those things will kill you," Misako warned.

"I can always go into a fresh new body," Ritsuko smirked.

"So you can wreck your lungs but I can't spoil my liver?"

"I was joking," Ritsuko deadpanned. "Besides, I let you have that tequila. You're being very good." She explained as she handed a large packet of new pill bottles over to Misako.

"At least you didn't pat my head, call me 'good clone', and give me a treat." Misako gave a cold glare.

Ritsuko smiled. "The instructions for your revised medication schedule is in the packet."

Misako blinked. "You're really getting a kick out of this."

"A bit." Ritsuko's grin broadened.

"And this plan? Was it your idea too?"

"No, I had a simpler idea," Ritsuko sighed. "Much more straightforward, but the Commander insisted."

"So you'll have to act some." Misako laughed before composing herself. "Do you really think Azazel will play along? They've got no reason to do us any favors."

Eyes cold, Ritsuko's smile returned. "Oh yes. I've looked over the NHIS project. The grouchy old bastard will thank us for our part in this."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Azazel hates us, but we can kill Angels. Our new competitor...."

"No AT field, no nukes." Misako nodded. "But still... we're giving them what they want. These clowns would drool over an opportunity like this, and we're giving it to them on a silver platter."

"Yes, they're getting what they wished for." Ritsuko contemplated the burning embers of her cigarette.

"Which requires the JSSDF to play along."

Ritsuko chuckled. "It's certainly a good thing that you're on good terms with the JSSDF top brass isn't it?"

"Sure, every day they run me into the ground and critique my command ability."

"You're still here," Ritsuko said as she looked over a report. "You were at the Ramiel debriefing. They see you as worth keeping around. They're learning to trust your judgment."

"So, Ikari's been seeding the ground on this whole thing? The Dummy Plugs, the batteries" Misako shook her head. "Speaking of that any progress?"

"So far those new batteries have tested fine," Ritsuko flipped to another page on the performance report. "I don't know what Procurement did but these were delivered much faster than the previous batch."

"That'll be good. The five minute limit would really hurt this plan." Contemplatively rubbing her chin, the clone looked at Ritsuko.

"Oh, that..." Ritsuko sighed. "Who told you?"

Misako shrugged.

Ritsuko frowned. It could have been Maya, it could even have been Captain Horaki. The simulation bodies did need some new parts, and Kodama did oversee their purchase. "It's still being debugged, but yes... Eva-Sim should be ready in a couple days."

"Really?" Misako raised an eyebrow. "This isn't just another mirage?"

"No, we finally got it. It's not easy to trick an Evangelion into being in a simulated environment."

"We can trick them into synchronizing with a Pilot."

"Oh yes, and that was so very simple."

Misako rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we've got that new prog-weapon coming in."

"Yes, that ridiculous spade." Ritsuko shook her head. "How did the Russians ever convince the JSSDF to sign off on it."

"I helped them. A shovel would have been great in the last battle," Misako reminded. "An entrenching tool is a very handy combat weapon."

"At least the supplier managed to build it quickly."

"Yes, they've been getting a lot more responsive," Misako smirked.

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

"For this plan. I have an idea." The clone's smirk grew. "We want to make a strong impression right?"

"Oh dear, what do you have in mind?" Ritsuko sighed.

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"Well I liked the movie." Shirane stated as the four girls exited the theater. The other patrons were generous enough to let them, and their Azazel guard, leave first. There they rendezvoused with the bulk of Rei and Shinju's protective detail.

"Really? Because you spent the whole movie complaining about it," Nozomi grumbled.

"Not the whole movie, and besides. Igor-san and Yuli talked more than I did."

"They were just trying to help," Shinju said.

"Help? By laughing at the movie's mistakes?"

"And giving a commentary on their tactics."

"The brilliance of Admiral Struble's landing was only matched by the incompetence of the following push to Seoul," Sergeant Yuli Ginzbrg stated in fluid Japanese.

Igor snorted. "Yes, yes Yuli. You ignore botched response of General Yong-Kun; he slow to deal with the problem; armor he sent wiped out by smaller force, inferior armor."

"The Americans had air-support."

"Director right there," Igor nodded. "You and Vitali miss is that UN forces still achieved breakout. Is what counts."

"Movie still poor teaching tool. It moves too fast. Still it was good to see fellow marines work." Yuli gave a sideways smile.

"We can buy." Igor turned to Shinju. "Would you like copy of movie?"

"I guess..." Shinju shrugged.

"You can get it?" Shirane grinned. "It's just out in theaters."

"We have bomb." Igor shrugged his broad shoulders.

Nozomi leaned to Rei. "Does everything have to be training with you girls?"

Rei stared for a few seconds. "Piloting Eva is our purpose."

"Right... and this helps," Nozomi tried to keep her face from getting too exasperated. It was easy to forget how... gung-ho Rei really was. Nozomi noticed that they were going down a different set of corridors. "Where are we going?"

"Vehicle pickup over here," Igor pointed down to an exit.

"That's not where we were dropped off. It was moved?" Nozomi asked.

"Armored personnel vehicles tend to be hard to park," Shirane reminded

"You just want to gush over them." Nozomi sighed. Exiting the building they walked out into the sunlight. Most of the girls shielded their eyes, while Shinju pulled out her shooting glasses, the purple tinting allowed them to double as sunglasses

Devastation met them. The street was burned and torn in many sections. Further down entire blocks were reduced to rubble. The upper stories of several of the retractable towers were charred. Further down the street the damage increased. Too damaged to move, some of the towers were still in their lowered position. Others, with all their windows blown out looked skeletal. The fire damage was more intense, with the streets in this area closed to general traffic, and only allowing construction and repair vehicles.

Beyond the repair zone the damage deepened. None of the retractable buildings in this zone had been elevated, and all the non-retractable buildings were heavily damaged. In the very center, were the shattered, bloody remains of Ramiel. Several large cranes were in the process of scooping remains and loading them into waiting dump trucks. Hazmat-suit wearing, NERV personnel directed the cleanup.

"Wow." Nozomi turned away from the damage. "You two really did all that?"

"No," Rei stated.

Looking at her handiwork, Shinju blushed. "Azazel helped too."

"Yes, I'm sure they did," Shirane noted.

Taking in the scenery, Igor smiled broadly. "Time to go girls," he said as the men of his platoon linked up with the waiting BTR-80s.

Nearly squealing in delight, Shirane ran to the big angular vehicles. Nozomi and the Ayanamis followed, while the Azazel guard pulled back and boarded. The APCs then drove back to the apartment block that had been converted into the Pilot residence.

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Guiding Unit 01 across a burned plain, Shinju glanced at the upper part of her display screens. A steady rain of thick ash fell from heavy black clouds. In the far distance an explosion lit up the sky. The resulting mushroom briefly broke some of the cloud cover.

Keeping the giant mortar leveled, Shinju scanned the plain before them. "How are you for power Rei?"

"Seventeen minutes left," Rei's hands tightened over the controls. "Have you been able to raise Command?"

Despite herself, Shinju had Unit 01 turn to face her sister's Evangelion. She looked at the blue war machine. The shoulder and armor upgrade had made the Prototype look at bit more like the Test type. Though the new color was a surprising divergence from the previous orange.

"Shinju? We are in combat," Rei softly reminded.

"Right," Shinju exhaled, letting a small bubble of air escape. "Tokyo 3 is... gone." Her mind flashed to earlier in the battle, when the first explosions hit, when the layers of armor and skyscrapers simply... fell.

Rei hefted her Eva-scaled bazooka. Even with upgraded warheads it did not have the same punch as the Fourth's weapon, but it did a better rate of fire. "Then we do not have much time."

There was another explosion. This one both larger and closer. Both Evangelions knelt down and took the over pressure wave. "Can you raise Azazel?"

A slight frown crossed Rei's face. "No, but clearly some are still flying."

"Pattern Blue detected," Shinju's voice was clinical. She saw a group of Angels stride out from near the explosions center. Some were damaged, indicating a near-miss.

Humanoid and without much in the way of a neck, or head they vaguely resembled the first Angel Shinju had seen. However Sachiel was mostly black, with only a bone-white "face". These angels were entirely white; their bodies covered in an almost Evangelion-like armor.

Aiming, Shinju counted twelve of the creatures before she fired Little David. "Eyes!" she screamed as the shell that launched out. Both the Evangelions should automatically cycle down their optics in the event of an explosion like this, but Shinju did not want to accidently blind her sister.

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"Evangelion and nuclear weapons." Ritsuko stated as she watched the combat unfold. The Evangelions had cut through the Angels, and while only direct hits from Little David would kill them, simply being near that much power would slow them down.

"Because we can, we do what we must," Misako wished she could help, but the terms of the game were clear. Today, the Pilots were alone. The range closed and Shinju drew her spade. Covering Rei, she bought more time while her sister fired into the five remaining Angels. At this range the bazooka warhead's relative weakness was an advantage.

"What sick JSSDF bastard dug up this scenario?" Ritsuko asked as she watched the combat degenerate into a brutal brawl

"This was our Commander's idea," General Yubari stated from his seat. "I'm rather surprised at his imagination."

"This does stress-test the simulation software," Ritsuko admitted as she went to Maya's workstation to check on the simulation output.

"And the Pilots," Yubari added.

Misako frowned; it looked like Unit 00 was about to be knocked out. "This is the best training we can give them. It's not like we know when the next Angel will come, and other than them, there's a shortage of giants to fight."

Yubari raised an eyebrow. "Indeed."

Ritsuko suppressed a cough. "It looks like Rei was taken out. I'll eject her from the simulation body. How's Shinju doing?"

Misako smiled slightly. "Pissed."

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"That was not entirely... unexpected," Fuyutsuki noted, watching Unit 01 tear into the last two Angels.

From his desk, Gendo allowed a small smile to cross his face.

Not for the first time, Fuyutsuki wondered how much of Ikari's... satisfaction depended on the body his prize pilot wore. "Are you worried about it going Berserk?"

"It's only a simulation. Dr. Akagi made sure to put a filter on how the Evangelions are rendered."

"Good." Fuyutsuki turned to the frame and watched Unit 01 unsteadily rise to its feet. After picking up its entrenching tool, it started going from Angel to Angel. "Methodical, precise."

"Azazel has its faults, but their soldiers know how to get the job done."

Fuyutsuki chuckled. "And the Old Men?"

"What about them?"

"Isn't this all a bit... familiar?"

"There are only so many ways they can stop us, and of them, there are fewer still that we can train our Pilots for."

"Isn't this a bit obvious? Do we really want to give them a 'shot across the bow'?"

"Kozo, I'd order Shinju airdropped over Lorenz's residence if I felt it would further the plan."

"Still, it's a bit... direct."

"Plans must adapt. We must adapt."

"So you no longer think the Old Men are behind these developments?"

"Perhaps they initiated them, perhaps not. Either way events are moving beyond their control."

"And beyond ours?"

Gendo smirked slightly. "That remains to be seen."

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"Arc it over your head in a smooth motion." Igor said as he held Shinju's arm by the wrist. "That's right, extend it back and just bring it down," the soldier explained letting go.

Shinju gave a nod and continued moving the entrenching tool in an exaggerated chopping motion. The Sharpened blade went rose and fell in a steady motion. "Is this right?"

"Yes, very good." Igor peered down the impromptu range at the target, which was a stout log mounted on a lashed tripod so the circular cut faced them. Behind it was a concrete wall of their apartment block. "You see log?"

Shinju stopped the motion and nodded.

Pyotr motioned for Rei to stop their sparring. He looked over the sweating, gasping girl. "Good." He flexed his arm and suppressed a wince, the girl had a knack for finding ways to lever her opponent's joints. "You value hard work, results. Rest fluff. Systema suits you."

Her expression neutral, Rei inclined her head.

Pyotr nodded and turned to his colleague and his charge.

"When elbow is extended, blade is here..." Igor guided Shinju's arm to the proper position, a bit shallower than a forty-five degree incline. "Let go. Should slip out of hand."

Biting her lip, Shinju looked down. She made sure her foot was at the seven pace marker. She drew her arm back, swung it forward, and at the right moment released her grip. The entrenching tool slipped out of her hand and tumbled forward. After rotating twice, the blade hit the wood, but it was at an oblique angle and it bounced off clattering to the ground.

Shinju frowned.

"Not bad!" Igor assured. "You hit target!" He lumbered over to the wooden blocks and picked up the entrenching tool. "Release not smooth, blade wobble too much. Watch." The large man walked back, stopped, and with practiced ease drew his arm back. He then flipped the blade forward and launched it. The spade still rotated twice, but this time its flight was true and it sunk halfway into the wood.

Shinju and Rei both passively watched the display.

"Blade cutting best, but spade heavy, so hitting what counts," Igor said as he, once again, retrieved the entrenching tool.

Taking the blade Shinju took a few more practice swings. This time she could feel how the weight shifted when she moved it past the top of her head.

"Remember follow through with release. Basics right now," Igor advised, making sure to stay out of the weapon's arc.

Shinju nodded and staring at the target took a couple more practice swings. Then she drew back, and this time let her grip slacken. She winced as she felt the blade tumble out of her grip. End over end it flipped and the tip of the blade caught the face of the log. Lightly penetrating, it hung upright for a few seconds and then slipped out.

"Very good!" Igor cheered.

Shinju turned and looked up at the man. "But it fell out."

"Meat much softer than wood," Igor explained as he retrieved the spade and handed it back to Shinju.

"Oh? Why aren't we training on meat?"

Looking into at those big seemingly innocent eyes, Igor had to laugh. Being behind the purple tint of her safety glasses reduced the oddness. "Same reason you shoot more paper and on computer. Cheaper. Besides, harder to get into wood than human skull." He paused, seeing the girl's almost disappointed look. "No worries, we can buy a pig. Would be good to teach you proper knife work too."

Shinju gave a little nod.

"That's a good girl," Igor smiled. "Now you go teach your sister."

Her smile growing, Shinju beckoned Rei, who was putting on her own protective glasses. Unlike her sister, she preferred red tinting to her lenses.

Igor and Pyotr stepped aside and the thinner man pulled out a cigarette packet.

"No thanks," Igor declined the offered smokes. "What do you think?" he asked in Russian.

Pyotr watched as the two girls took turns throwing their spades. The younger nearly... bounced as she whipped the sharpened shovel. Given the long hair, ribbons, and simple glee, she looked surprisingly wholesome. Rei had more control on her release but her overall motion was not quite as fluid.

After half a minute of silence, Pyotr had composed his thoughts into an acceptable format. "They're something else."

"Soon they'll be throwing spades while back-flipping off trampolines."

Watching the girls practice, Pyotr concentrated on his smoking. "Good."

"It is." Igor nodded. "We need them."

"They're good soldiers."

"Then we shall make sure we are worthy of them." Igor gave one of his manic grins and walked back to the girls.

Pyotr observed his large comrade teach. "And they worthy of us," he muttered before dropping his cigarette to the ground and crushing it with his heel.

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Giving a surprised shriek, Shinju dropped her blouse and had her hands go over her crotch. After a moment she moved one of her arms to her chest and head lowered took a step back.

"Sorry!" Nozomi winced at the trembling girl's fear. "It's just me."

Blushing Shinju grabbed a shirt and slipped it on.

"Don't worry. It's not like some pervert is going to slip past your big brothers."

Pulling on a shin-length plain blue skirt, Shinju nodded. "It just surprised me."

Standing in the dressing cubicle, Nozomi snatched a glance at her friend. Something seemed... strange. "This can't be the first time you've been undressed with another girl. You've got two sisters."

"That's different." Shinju spun around and pulled another skirt off a clothes hanger.

"I guess," Nozomi said, her voice distant. When Shinju spun around, her hair lifted, and with her blouse untucked.... "Are you carrying?"

Turning back to Nozomi, Shinju kept a blank expression. The effect was hampered by the red coloring her cheeks.

"You know my job," Shinju quietly said.

"But Igor carries your-" Nozomi caught herself. If things went bad, really bad. Shinju might not have time to be given her rifle. "I... understand. Some things are best kept secret."

Shinju nodded.

"And I can just imagine Shirane going into full fan-girl mode," Nozomi chuckled.

"About what?" Carrying a dress, Shirane stepped into the dressing room.

Nozomi stared. "Uh..."

Shinju blinked.

"Um, what are you carrying?"

Shirane's gave a toothy smile. "Isn't it the cutest?" she asked giving the dress a slight shake. Ribbons and ruffled bounced as the entire garment flounced about.

"I didn't take you for the Gothic Lolita style."

Shirane laughed. "Right like I'd ever get caught in something this girly."

"Then who is it for?" Nozomi asked.

"Well, who here likes purple?" Shirane turned to Shinju. "Well, what do you think?"

Shinju stared at the layered dress. It was mostly a violet that could pass for black in most light; it had white ruffled trim in the chest, waist, shoulders and skirt hem; it came with purple petticoat that was a bit longer than the dress itself. Purple ribbons crossed in the torso and chest. Accompanying the dress was a white lace choker with purple ribbons that dangled in the front. A pair of flounced sleeve sections made out of the same black-violet, white trimmed, material were also included.

Shinju blinked, but the dress was still there. "It's frilly."

Shirane laughed. "No more than those white party dresses you like."

"That's a lie," Nozomi dryly remarked.

"Fine, it's a bit more girly."

"A bit?"

"What do you think, Shinju?" Shirane offered the dress.

"It's a bit.... much." Shinju said, transfixed by the dress.

"Awww, but it's just like what your doll wears. Don't you want to play dressup?"

Shinju frowned. "That's just pretend."

"So is this."

Nozomi sighed. "I don't get it. Shirane, you're this big military okatu, and you've got a friend that is an Eva Pilot and here you are trying to make her into some princess."

"Princess?" Shinju paused. Her father was the Commander.

"You and your sister are the most important people in Nerv," Nozomi reminded. "But that doesn't explain why you're doing this," she said to Shirane.

"I am a twelve year old girl," Shirane laughed. "Come on Shinju, try it on."

Shinju frowned. "I dunno."

"If you try it on, you can make Shirane dress-up in something embarrassing," Nozomi suggested with a smirk. "Remember that pink dress out in the window?"

Shirane's eyebrow twitched. "No... not the one with the poufy shoulders. I'd look like I fell into a vat of cotton candy."

"It would look cute on her." Shinju's red eyes twinkled.

Shirane sighed. "Is that how you're gonna play?"

"You want to use Shinju as your dressup doll. She should be able to use you the same way," Nozomi smirked.

"Fine, fine." Shirane hung the dress up. "I just thought Shinju would like to wear something a bit more fancy. Something that'll really make a splash."

"I get enough attention," Shinju quietly noted.

Shirane paused. "Yeah... so what were you two talking about? Something I'd gush over?"

Nozomi winced. She had hoped Shirane had forgotten and she did not want to reveal Shinju's secret. "Oh, it was just more of the weapons training that Shinju's been getting."

"Well of course I'd gush over that. You've got it made Shinju-chan. You're like the only twelve year old in the world that can shoot off N2 warheads."

Shinju tilted her head. "It's less fun than it sounds."

"Nonsense, everyone likes explosions, and then there's all the other weapons you get to use. So what's the latest one you've got?"

"Well... they've been teaching Oneechan and me to fight with combat spades."

"Entrenching tools?" Shirane's eyes widened. "Oh that's great!"

Shinju shrugged.

"You're just happy you've got more info to tell Kensuke," Nozomi cautioned.

"Hey! I'm not doing that anymore!" Shirane glared.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, after all those movie shorts, press releases, and posters..." Shirane shook her head. "The guy's got all the info he needs."

"Like any okatu can have enough information," Nozomi snorted. "You're just realizing he's crushing more on the Ayanamis than he ever would on you."

Shirane frowned.

"That's mean, Nozomi," Shinju said.

"It's true," Shirane sighed. "He still sees me as his best friend's kid sister."

"Which you are," Nozomi reminded. "At least you found this out now, instead of mooning over him for another month."

Shirane gave a frustrated sigh.

Nozomi shook her head. "Anyway, if we're not going to dare ourselves into putting on embarrassing outfits, how about we get some lunch?"

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In Abandoned Area 28 on the shore next to the former Tokyo Metropolis a meeting was taking place in Nippon Heavy Industry Solidarity's sprawling complex. A large banquet-hall-like room was filled with giant round tables that were garishly overstocked with various types of liquor. Most of the tables were full of warmly chatting men in business suits who were amiably passing the time.

Two tables were different.

Both were in the center of the room and both mostly empty. At one very empty-looking table Ritsuko and Misako sat. While at another even more desolate table, Beria, wearing a white lab coat and thin black tie over a rumpled suit, sat alone. Around the tables, in a deceptively loose-looking perimeter stood a group of Azazel Naval Infantry.

Giving a small confident grin, Shiro Tokita stepped up to the podium at the stage in the front of the room. "Thank you for coming to our exhibition of Nippon Heavy Industry Solidarity. You will observe our demonstration from the control room. Do you have any questions before that?"

"Yes!" Ritsuko raised her hand.

Shiro leaned forward. "Oh you're the famous Doctor Akagi Ritsuko. I'm very glad to see you here." His eyes briefly went to the other, nearly, empty table, where Beria seemed to be busy jotting down on a small notepad.

Taking an offered microphone, Ritsuko stood up. "May I ask a question?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"According to the earlier explanation it's equipped with an internal engine."

"Yes, that's a major feature of the unit. A hundred and fifty days of continuous operation is assured." Shiro beamed.

"However, for safety reasons, I think it's far too risky to install a reactor in weapons for close range ground combat." Ritsuko

"I think it's much more useful than a weapon that doesn't work for more than five minutes."

"That does not excuse the safety concerns," Beria muttered, not looking up from his notes.

"Oh, so now we have the famous Doctor Pavel Beria. I can guarantee that our reactor is far safer than anything your country has made."

While the crowd laughed, Beria silently folded his notebook closed. After a second's consideration the balding man stood up and held out a hand.

Shiro raised an eyebrow as a difficult silence formed. Eventually an Azazel trooper took a microphone from an NHIS aide and handed it to the engineer.

"The title is Director; Director Pavel Beria," the engineer smoothly intoned.

"Yes of that institute attached to Azazel." Looking at the older man's... amused expression , Shiro's confidence dipped slightly.

"Your aim is ground combat with Angels, no? You know last battle. How would your device fare?" Somewhat mirthful, Beria's tone bordered on disinterested.

"Well, that's a very complicated situation."

"Yes, combat is." Beria said mildly. "What role does weapon serve?"

"As stated the system and has several advantages in deployable duration. It has a superior remote control system. It is also is much, much more cost effective than Evangelion."

"Cost effect is result divided by price." Beria said in a tone that Fuyutsuki would have recognized immediately, that of a professor being forced to listen to a student's excuses. "What would robot do if it had to stop Angel? Explain."

Ritsuko had to keep herself from smiling, and the man had not even seen Jet Alone...

Shiro blinked. "The system can be fitted with several weapons systems," he slowly explained.

"Ah I see." Beria nodded. "So particle cannons and N2 delivery systems?"

"Yes of course."

"Result divided by price." Beria smiled. "Sukhoi far cheaper than giant robot."

"That same argument can be used against Nerv!" Shiro fumed.

"Yes, it can." Beria turned to Ritsuko.

"Unlike Azazel, Jet Alone can destroy an Angel without irradiating the countryside."

"Provided, reactor not damaged."

Ritsuko cleared her throat. "Director? If I may?" She turned to Shiro. "You mentioned remote control, that may cause a problem in emergency situations."

"It's more humane than putting a heavy workload on the pilot which might result in mental illness," Shiro said more sure on his feet.

"Control by multiple personnel might cause some problems," Ritsuko pressed the point.

"It controlled by committee?" Beria smiled. "And if communications is lost? What robot do then?"

Shiro grinned and held up a report. "It's still safer than a dangerous weapon that goes out of control." He opened the report to show an image of Unit 00 in the middle of going berserk in a test cell. "A weapon without control is nonsense. It's just like a hysterical woman. No one can deal with one.

While the crowd laughed, Ritsuko twitched slightly. She also wondered which UN committee he had bribed to get that document.

"Woman beyond your control? Perhaps problem is with you." Beria scoffed.

Ritsuko laughed. "Control is what our technology and Pilots are for."

"Do you really think that science and the human mind can control that monster? Are you serious?" Shiro raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Absolutely."

Beria gave an approving nod. "If she wrong, we correct problem."

Shiro shook his head. "Because you believe in unreliable things, like human minds, Nerv allowed that uncontrolled incident to happen."

"What do you believe in then?" Beria narrowed his eyes. "Where is your trust?"

"In science, in machines. Surely as an engineer yourself-"

"Humans are more important than hardware." Beria gave a short laugh. "Even Americans know that."

"Surely, you don't think that a twelve year old girl should be allowed to be put in such a situation?"

"Allowed? We have no choice in the matter," Ritsuko said.

"There is always Azazel," Beria said mildly.

"It seems that Nerv cannot even get something as basic as control straightened out. To be reduced to using children."

Misako narrowed her eyes and glared at Shiro. While under the table she clenched her hands into fists and concentrated on staying still.

"No matter what you say, only our main weapons can defeat the enemy." Ritsuko said to Shiro as she pulled up the corners of her mouth in something that superficially resembled a smile.

"You mean the AT field?" Shiro asked. "It's only a matter of time. Nerv already has competition. More options are inevitable."

"Perhaps she mean near megaton nuclear weapon," Beria dryly said. "Perhaps you forgot. Azazel killed Angel. Nerv killed Angel. You have not killed Angel."

"Save the AT field module, our system is fully functional." Shiro boasted.

"So, not fully functional." Beria leaned down and made a note. "Demonstration overcome concerns, then?" he asked with a warm, friendly smile, and while his eyes were... amused they were neither warm nor friendly.

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Misako glared at the locker and examined the three small hinges that connected the door. After swinging the door a couple times she put her foot above the lower hinge. "Damn those low-lifes..." she kicked down and snapped the hinge.

"Stop, it's childish," Ritsuko warned.

Snorting, she grabbed the lower end of the door and twisted it to snap off the middle hinge. From there it was easy to lever the door such that the final hinge broke off. She then tossed the door into a corner.

Beria looked up from his tea pot and clapped his hands lightly.

"He wants to show off and wants to be praised. He's a small guy," Ritsuko noted as she lit the orange Jet Alone brochure on fire.

Watching the events in the dressing room, Captain Sakharov did not move up from the wall he was leaning against. "Is problem? Can solve directly. Cheap."

Misako looked at the mustached officer for a few seconds. "Thanks for the offer but it's being taken care of." She turned to Ritsuko. "How did they know about the AT field?"

Ritsuko turned in her chair and looked at the man they had been forced to share a "dressing room" with. "Top secret information seems to be leaking."

"It was not Azazel." Beria shook his head.

"What's the intelligence section doing?" Misako asked.

Beria looked at his watch and grabbed his tea. "It is time to go."

Picking up her own cup, Ritsuko sighed. Captain Sakharov and their bodyguard trailing, the three "representatives" walked down the NHIS corridors until they came to the control room. Several business and political leaders were already at the windows in the front of the room and had binoculars at the ready.

The tall, blocky tower in front of them split open with either side pulling away. As the building separated, it revealed Jet Alone

While everyone else gaped at the Evangelion scaled machine, Misako leaned over to Ritsuko. "They insulted Shinju, insulted Nerv. Don't forget you're gonna make them pay Rits."

Ritsuko smirked and took a sip. "Wonderful tea, Director."

Still staring, Beria gave an absent nod. He catalogued the spindly arms and legs, the immense bulk of the chest and torso, the thin joints, and the other features.

"Now we'll begin the demonstration of Jet Alone." Shiro smirked from his position at a command tower that stood behind six console banks. "There's nothing to worry about."

With that various NHIS technicians started shouting out orders and giving the status of their parts. Then one said, "Extend the control rods fully."

Beria watched as six rods, each nearly half the height of Jet Alone extended from the back of the robot.

"Walk ahead slowly, move right foot ahead." Shiro said just as his orders were repeated and the robot took a lurching step forward. Holding his hands behind his back, Shiro grinned as his technicians prepared to move the left foot. His elation grew as Jet Alone took a third step and then another and another.

"It's walking. Is that worth being proud of?" Misako asked as she peered through a set of binoculars.

Rapt, Shiro looked down. "What do you think now... Director?"

Beria slowly turned to look back at Shiro. "That is worst-designed machine I have ever had astounding displeasure of observing. It cannot have any purpose other than assure first-year engineering students that there no such thing as standards. No matter their failure, they will find employment."

"What?" Shiro stepped back as the other people turned from watching Jet Alone to watching Beria.

"You're excited it can take step? You test at all?" Beria hissed.

Captain Sakharov chuckled.

Shiro stared.

"No obviously you did not. Otherwise you would realize the horrible fallacy of having **external **control rods. Did it not occur to you that fifteen meter long cantilevered rods might get damaged? If one of those things broke off what then?"

"There are safeguards in place..."

"I've seen better reactor designs in Pripyat! Either those things are decorative, in which case you are even more incompetently wasteful than Nerv, or they are critical, in which case you are treasonously incompetent and if there were any justice in the world you would be summarily shot."

"Be reasonable..."

"Reasonable would be sending Su-33's in to put this impotent thing out of its misery. Feh, a man with an RPG could do it. This you boast? This fully functional?"

Shiro clenched his teeth. "Director, the demonstration has only started."

Beria bowed his head in mock acquiescence. 'Then continue."

"Fine we'll move straight to the weapons test. The reactor you so deride provides more power than an Evangelion can supply, and unlike a sixty-year-old single shot artillery piece, it can continuously fire. Ready the Induction Cannon!"

Jet Alone jerked down the test range and walked up to a relatively long, lumpy building. The roof retracted and Jet Alone picked up a grey tubular weapon by rolling one of its ribbon-like arms around the canon.

"Clearance to fire at target seven?" Shiro asked.

"The range is clear," one of the technicians replied.

"Sound the siren." Shiro grinned wolfishly. "Fire!"

A pure white lance shot out and bored into a squat concrete block. The beam pulverized its way through and ground through the dirt.

"Change to target twelve." Shiro smirked as the shearing beam was raked across the desolate remains of Old Tokyo. "You see the power?" He turned to a technician and ordered the weapon shut off.

Beria chuckled. "Weak if functional weapon. I'll recommend that Nerv contact subcontractor, export version Evangelion portable. They can compare to their own particle cannon."

"I never figured you for a Nerv stooge," Shiro sneered.

"Your political skill is on par with engineering." Beria chuckled. "I loath Nerv. They waste funding. They lack strategic thought. They lack rigor. I rejoice at the shackles the UN has put them under. However, they are not failures. They can kill Angel. I say before: you cannot make the same claim."

"You are in no position to challenge Jet Alone."

"Yes, between Jet Alone and Azazel, there is no contest."

Shiro glared. "Even though you hate Nerv, you're still go against us?"

"I will recommend against further evaluation. Too many systematic design flaws. Too little potential as a weapon. Better to drop now."

"It sounds like you're afraid." Shiro laughed. "The induction canon is just one of the weapons we can power. We can give superior air defense and more precise, longer running attacks. Is that why you're sticking for Nerv? Are you afraid of becoming even more marginalized?"

Beria set his jaw, he would have liked to cut apart that ridiculous "superior air defense fallacy", but it was time. "I will recommend Azazel decline any testing."

"Azazel is nothing special. Anyone can use obsolete planes to shoot nuclear weapons. But if you're set on standing in the way of Nerv's true replacement..." Shiro turned to the other observers. "It's a shame they're too afraid to test Jet Alone. They know what'll happen."

Grinning broadly, Ritsuko stepped forward. "Excellent, excellent. General Yubari regretted being unable to attend, but he was able to extend an invitation to the Mount Takanosu Testing Range."

"Pardon?"

"You're quite correct. The JSSDF is quite interested in the Jet Alone project. Especially as a more cost effective and flexible alternative to Evangelion. Naturally, they're eager to set up a series of wargames."

"Well of course," Shiro's leg started to tingle. This sounded like good news but why was the blonde women smiling?

"Regrettably, Azazel has refused to participate. Therefore Red Team duties will fall upon the other Special Duty Organization the JSSDF supervises."

Working it out, Shiro's eyes widened. "You expect Jet Alone to fight an Evangelion?"

Noticing Misako look at her cell phone, Beria looked at his watch

"Now, it won't be a fully accurate test. Jet Alone has no AT field. So we'll just have our Evas not use theirs."

"No AT fields?"

"Don't worry, the testing will be fair. JSSDF will be overseeing the entire operation." Ritsuko took a sip of tea. "Now seeing as you've proven the offensive capabilities of Jet Alone, all that's left is actual combat testing," she lied. There was more, much more to getting a practical weapon, but if he agreed, that would show his ignorance.

"Yes, well fortunately the weapons systems are functional. NHIS is eager to prove its worth." Shiro swallowed and clasped his hands behind his back again. This was what he wanted. JSSDF would see the logic of Jet Alone....

"Wonderful. Is tomorrow good? How about next week?"

"Everyone here, why not airdrop Eva right now?" Beria asked.

"Well, I'm willing to do it, but I don't think that Eva can get here in time."

"Go," Misako stated into her phone. Nearly fifteen seconds later, a giant purple figure dropped out of the sky. With deliberate slowness the Evangelion rose from its shallow landing crater. It was ready for battle.

Attached to the shoulder pylons were a set of double-size, double capacity external power packs. Mounted horizontally on the Evangelion's lower back was a giant entrenching tool. An ammunition satchel was on the left hip and cradled in Unit 01's hands was the gleaming steel of Little David.

Painted on the side of the... thing's head were two halos and on its upper left arm was a "shoulder sleeve" insignia. A tilted golden wing with upswept feathers sat on a pale blue field and was topped by a black bar. Too late, Shiro realized that this was not just some prepubescent girl but a veteran, specifically a veteran paratrooper. One belonging to a very exclusive club. Recalling the terminology from a previous project, the NHIS manager came up with an acceptable acronym. HANO: High-Altitude No Opening.

He was looking at the only paratrooper that did not need a parachute.

"Don't worry about the five minute limitation. Shinju can run for twenty-five minutes before needing more juice," Misako assured.

Shiro's lip quivered. He looked down to see the NHIS board members and executives. They seemed to be simultaneously enraged and terrified. They had seen the battle footage; they had seen the short videos Nerv Public Relations had released. "Is that armed.... " Looking up at the looming purple monstrosity, he tried to find his voice. "N2 warheads?"

"Oh no, this is just a war game, she's only got practice rounds," Misako assured.

"I see..." Shiro licked his lips. "Well we have to wait for the JSSDF to arrive. They are observing right?'

"Of course," Misako happily agreed, before dialing a new number on her phone. "Shinju, take a break. We'll send you the new coordinates once we get the games started."

The sound of several VTOL craft landing cut into the command center. "They're late," Ritsuko noted.

Misako turned to Shiro, her eyes locking onto his. "Once the Generals arrive we can get started. Unless you're not ready that is?"

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General Yubari turned away from the conference table that had been moved into the NHIS command room and suppressed a sigh. "Yes? Tokita is it?"

Shiro nodded. "Sir, I don't think that this is really... proper. I mean the test."

Yubari gave a slight glance to the series of displays and computers mounted on and around the tables. "Son, if you were planning to bow out of this little test, you should have told me that before I had my staff setup their equipment."

"Oh no, it's not that." Shiro did not want the test, but the board was firm. They felt that Nerv had outmaneuvered them and a fair performance today was better than a good performance in a week. "It's just these rules."

This time Yubari did sigh. "Let me be blunt. Do you have a viable weapon? Or will this be a waste of time?"

Shiro's eyes widened. "Sir, you're... I mean you'd take the side of Ikari and foreigners over, well, your countrymen?"

Yubari stared Shiro for several seconds. "Son, I'm going to pretend that you did not just question my loyalty. I am fully aware of Nerv and Azazel's problems. There is nothing that I want _more_ than possessing a controllable and effective weapon. That is why I'm giving you this latitude."

"What?"

Sighing again, Yubari turned to the display. "I'm giving you a chance. If you don't think you're ready, bow out now. Come back when you've got something that we can use."

"Sir, Jet Alone is ready. The only thing left is to put in an AT field module," Shiro coldly stated.

"Fine. I hope you're right, but I won't let that hope blind me. I'd rather have ethically and politically... murky, but effective weapons, than weapons that are morally righteous but utterly useless."

"Jet Alone is not useless."

"Tokita, that is the purpose of this test." Yubari frowned at a map that one of his majors had put on the screen.

"You had some questions about the war game rules?"

"It's more the setup. Did it have to be moved?"

"Son, this is a live-fire exercise with an unmanned nuclear-powered war machine that wields an induction cannon. You're lucky we didn't move the whole thing to Mount Takanosu. That range is already equipped with all the requisite wargame equipment and safeties, but if we're forced to indulge your wishes..."

"My wishes? I didn't want this test."

"Yes, you were tricked by Nerv. You were tricked into getting exactly what you wanted."

"What I wanted? I wanted this?" Shiro sputtered.

"You wanted JSSDF's attention right? You wanted us to seriously evaluate your design. This is how we do it. We measure it against proven technology."

Shiro set his jaw. "Jet Alone will measure up."

"Then you have nothing to fear." Yubari kept his tone even. "Anyway the test will be moved, so it's far enough away to be safe."

"Sir, this is an Abandoned Area and this is where we test Jet Alone and its weapons."

"Son, Jet Alone's going up against an Evangelion."

"Well yes."

"If you don't have any real questions I suggest you get back to your own staff. You've got a battle to prepare for."

"Sir, that's the other problem. We're not military men, having us run a battle-"

Yubari cut him off. "I was lead to believe that Jet Alone did not require a pilot. 'Jet Alone is programmed to react to all possible emergency situations.' That is how the brochure put it, if I recall."

"But the test-"

"Is a simple mission. Jet Alone will be giving a set area and set with finding Eva 01. Then it will engage the Evangelion in battle. This is as basic as we can make it."

Shiro frowned. "And where are the Nerv personnel?"

"No doubt talking with their Pilot. Though that's not your concern." Yubari turned back to the NHIS man. "Last chance. Is Jet Alone ready for this test?"

"Yes." Shiro stiffly said.

"Then you should go back to your team," Yubari dismissed. He watched the younger man leave for a few seconds before turning back to his work. He wanted to make sure all the data recorders were properly setup. Chances were this would be a short test.

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Keeping its steady, lumbering pace, Jet Alone adjusted its heading. Walking on an oblique angle to the shoreline, kilometers of ruined terrain passed beneath the machine's long, pointed feet. The frontal view from Jet Alone's main cameras was displayed on a large projection screen that had descended in front of the NHIS control room's viewing windows.

Shiro split his attention between the sweeping desolate terrain, various status displays, and an overhead map. Over ten minutes of fruitless searching had worn on the attention of the observers. He looked down and to the left to see that unlike the industry reps, the JSSDF team was still attentively working at their stations. The Nerv personnel had left, though Director Beria was still sitting off to the side drinking from a small teacup.

Taking in his technician's statements, Shiro gave a slight sigh. Jet Alone was performing well. The Evangelion was hiding, it had to be, and JA would find it. Part of him wondered why Evangelion would hide from JA. Part of him wondered how it could hide. The terrain offered some concealment but something that large should be easy to spot. Was that the point of this test?

"Sir! Eva detected!" one of the technicians shouted.

"Engage JA!" Shiro unnecessarily ordered. Jet Alone was already turning and raising its arms. The view shifted to the shoreline and zoomed into where a large cylindrical object. Coming out of the water at an angle, it had a black, shiny, tip over the very end. Behind it the head of Unit 01 emerged out of the water.

Two induction cannons fired. The mighty white beams were rapidly over-shadowed by the thunderous projectile that emerged from Little David. Awarded a rare downrange view Shiro saw the explosion from the barrel become overlapped by the explosion from over a ton of high explosives.

Slamming dead-center in the diamond-shaped sensor array that passed for Jet Alone's "head", the shell's momentum and explosive energy compounded. The force knocked Jet Alone back and the mech stumbled backwards, falling to one knee.

"Sensors are down! Switching to backups!" a technician stated as the main display screen went black.

Shiro looked down at the radar display. "Incoming Eva. Get weapons back up! It doesn't need to stand to fire!" After a couple precious seconds, Jet Alone rose to its feet. By then the Evangelion had hit the beach and was running towards it. The entrenching tool was out and in hand, Little David being hung around the Eva's neck and shoulders on a strap.

"Fire!" Shiro cried. "The thing's only got a shovel!" He grinned when Jet Alone raised its arms. Without its precious AT field even an Evangelion could not withstand the blast from two nuclear powered induction cannons, and with only a muzzleloader the Evangelion had no more ranged weapons.

Seemingly ignoring the twin beams boring into its chest, the Evangelion drew its right arm back and whipped forward, releasing the entrenching tool. Flipping end over end the spade's blade hit Jet Alone just below the "head". While the armor was built to withstand relatively "minor" explosions, a gigantic progressive blade was another matter, and the spade sank over six meters into the center of Jet Alone's chest.

Arms shaking Shiro stared. "The... the fuck! She threw a **shovel**!" The various NHIS techs shouted out warnings. However Shiro's attention was elsewhere. He watched as Jet Alone shuddered and then fell on its back. The central display now showed a vast blue sky, save for a giant handle sticking out of the center of the lower half.

"Override the safeties! Weapons have to get back on!" Shiro's voice was shrill. He looked down and saw the JSSDF staff, and the smug bastards were laughing.

Shuddering, Jet alone managed to raise its left arm. The inductance beam shot out and burned into Unit 01's left side, but by now the Evangelion was within a hundred meters. Only three paces away the Evangelion threw its progressive knife. At this range Shinju only had to make sure to lean forward on the release. The knife tumbled poorly and the blade did not hit the left Induction Cannon. However, the handle did, and while not sharp it did weigh several tons.

Casing and contents damaged, the beam cut out. Its computer calculating the odds and the best course of action, Jet Alone gave a last push and rose to its feet, at the cost of further structural damage.

By then Unit 01 was already on it. The Evangelion's left hand ripped off the remaining induction cannon while the right hand went for the entrenching tool. Twisting as she withdrew, Shinju made sure to exacerbate the damage.

Jet Alone lurched forward and grappled with the purple monstrosity. Surprised at the mech's strength, Shinju lifted her spade and swept it horizontally, slicing off four of the six control rods.

Giving a slight whimper, Shiro watched as the control rods fell to the ground. The Evangelion then used its spade and free-arm to pry itself out of Jet Alone's grip and jump back. The Eva then charged forward and went low. Using that ridiculous shovel, it hooked one of Jet Alone's legs and once again, flipped the robot onto its back.

Lifting up the entrenching tool, Shinju thrust it down the joint where Jet Alone's left leg connected to the torso mounting. After repeating the action on the right leg she dropped the spade, took a leg in each hand and pulled.

Helpless, Shiro watched as the Evangelion repeated the procedure and tore off Jet Alone's arms. Closing his eyes he inhaled. "Stop the test!"

Turning from his display, General Yubari looked up at Shiro. "Alright then." He picked up a radio. "Pilot Ayanami. Stand down. Mission complete."

Shiro gave a curt not. "Commence Jet Alone shut down."

"Tokita the reactor's not powering down!"

A small smile crossed Beria's face.

"What?" Shiro screamed. "Scram the reactor!"

"Reactor trip failing! Negative reactivity systems are too damaged."

"What's going on?" Yubari demanded.

"Poor reactor design meets reality," Beria mildly explained.

"Is there no way to shut it off?"

"This shouldn't be happening," Shiro cried.

"So right now, we're facing the danger of a meltdown?"

"Under the present conditions, there's nothing to do but wait until it stops by itself."

"Just blow damn thing up; it already in irradiated wasteland," Beria snorted.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Yubari asked.

"Reactor critically damaged, inside mangled chassis. I would not send crews in to turn it off. Easier clean up irradiated wreckage than irradiated death-trap."

Shinju lifted up Little David and inspected the weapon. "Permission to dispose of the target reactor?" she requested over the communications channel.

Yubari frowned. "Yes, take it out."

AT field flashing into existence, Shinju reloaded the Little David, rammed the barrel into the gaping whole in Jet Alone's chest, and pulled the trigger. Inside several layers of armor, the explosion looked rather unimpressive.

The deformation and following collapse of Nippon Heavy Industrial Solidarity's war-machine was somewhat more impressive. High explosives tore through the reactor and various support struts, causing the heavy armor to fall in on itself. Pulling her Evangelion up to its full height, Shinju gave the broken scrap a dismissive glance before inspecting her gun for damage.

"Is that all?" Shinju asked in a distant, bored voice.

"No, that will do. Good job." Watching the Evangelion lumber off he suppressed a smile. Offering his old unit patch to the Fourth Child was natural. The First Airborne Brigade, along with the Japanese Special Operations Group were critical in ensuring Japan's post Impact stability. While she did not need a parachute, hence the omission of the patch's 'cute, Shinju certainly deserved the Airborne title.

However for the JSSDF, not even the Second Impact and the Tokyo bomb were enough to fully remote the politician's Article 9 concerns. It would take two years of chaos and the Sino-Viet Nansha war to get the Ministry of Defense to officially acknowledge reality and form the Japanese Strategic Self Defense Force.

"It was nothing. Your scenarios give me more trouble." Shinju flatly stated. "Returning to pickup station. Request spare power packs."

"Approved. Consult tactical to arrange the pickup and decontamination" Yubari put the radio down. "Major Osumi, start organizing the cleanup. Contact Azazel and NHIS as well."

After descending back down to the main level of the control room, Shiro had walked over to the JSSDF station. "Um Sir... about the test."

General Yubari studied the other man's hesitant, gun-shy body language. "Your... weapon, I suppose is the term, could not even give a twelve-year-old girl an amusing - not even challenging, amusing - engagement."

"Sir I don't think it was fair. Jet Alone-"

"Fair?" Yubari had to maintain his composure. "Son, this is war! Do you think the Angels will listen to your pathetic excuses?"

Shiro glared. "If this were a real battle Jet Alone would-"

"Would what?" General Yubari's voice was amused. "Son, have you seen an Angel in battle? We've thrown everything we've had at them. Do you know what it's like to see all your efforts wasted? To realize that you are facing an unstoppable, unbeatable enemy? To see your most powerful weapons hardly even slow it down?"

Shiro tried to look at the officer but had to lower his gaze.

"Of course you know what that's like." Yubari gave a light chuckle. "That twelve-year-old girl was going easy on you."

"Easy?"

Yubari turned back to the monitor. "I had hoped that the design, while flawed, might be salvageable. Perhaps in some heavy support role, but..." the General sighed. "It's really for the best."

Shiro's arms hung limply.

"Funding can be withdrawn and industrial capacity can be moved to proven technology."

"It can't end this way," Shiro quietly muttered. "Nerv tricked you. Nerv's been playing us all."

"I'm sure they are, but you were tested and found lacking. You could have waited, you could have built a better robot. You did neither." General Yubari watched as the decontamination team. rendezvoused with Unit 01 and started hosing down the titanic machine.

Shiro opened his mouth and after a few false starts managed to work out his question. "So what now?"

General Yubari kept his face towards the monitor. Eventually he turned back and looked over the quivering NHIS manager. "You failed: learn from it, or get out of the way."

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Shinju put the doll onto her dresser. This one had curly pink hair that fell to mid-back in a cascade of ringlets. Contrasting with her hair and amused expression, the doll was dressed in a stern black dress that had a Victorian governess style to it.

The clone looked between her three dolls. Her eyes went across the other items on her dresser: shooting glasses, music player, one of Rei's romance books, a loaded thirty round magazine, a stack of mini CDs, a book on hand to hand combat, a hairbrush. the silver-framed family portrait, a set of throwing knives, her medication supply, and a makeup compact.

Leaning against the dresser was her rifle, umbrella, and entrenching tool. Smiling, at her father's latest gift, she gave the doll a slight adjustment so it stood even with the other two. After brushing her hair for a bit, she went back into the living room.

"You fought well today," Rei said, not looking up from her book.

"Not much challenge, Oneechan." Shinju stated.

Rei nodded.

Shinju tilted her head to see the book's title. "How's that one?"

"Confusing." Rei frowned. "The maiden's problems seem easy to solve. Simply get both the pirate prince and the Governor's son."

"Um, Oneechan, I don't think love works that way."

"Why?"

Shinju shrugged.

"The Commander was married. He might know about love."

Holding a serving bowl, Misako stepped in from the kitchen. "You're not thinking of asking... him about romance?"

Rei blinked. "He tells me it was a happy marriage."

Misako sighed as she put the reheated instant soup she on the kitchen table. "You've got a point, he is the only Nerv officer I know that had a stable long-term relationship."

"Oneesan, is that common?" Shinju asked.

"For Nerv? Yes. For other military groups? No. Special forces actually tend to have more married family men on staff. I know the JSSDF does."

"What about Azazel?" Shinju asked. "Most of my detail are single."

"As are mine," Rei added.

Misako stared at Shinju "Aren't you... girls a bit young to be asking that stuff?"

"Ask?" Rei tilted her head.

"We don't need to ask. Wedding rings," Shinju explained.

"Had me worried for a bit." Misako shook her head. "Dinner's almost ready."

Shinju nodded. Looking out the window, the moon caught her eye. Drawn by the shining orb she walked over and opened the patio door. The sound of music and revelry and the scent of food and smoke drifted up.

Looking down she saw a party on a few of the lower patio terraces. A group of Azazel troopers were lounging about, many were drinking, more were smoking. Several tables had been dragged out onto the patios and were covered with various platters and bottles. In one corner a small band was playing, and many troops were singing along. The drums and violin were familiar enough, but the guitar, having a triangular body, was strange.

After several seconds the band stopped and joined the rest of the Azazel troops in looking up. The girl frowned and looked around. She could see the guards and sharp shooters on duty in their various positions; so nothing looked out of place. She blushed when the realization hit, they were looking at her.

She then noticed Igor. Even among his comrades, he stood head and shoulders above them. Looking up at her, the large man raised his glass. Shortly the rest of the Azazel troops followed suit.

Blushing, she smoothed her dress and gave a quick salute. Smiling, Igor lowered his glass and was followed by the rest of the troops. They then went back to their revelry. Shaking her head, Shinju went back inside.

"Dinner's ready," Misako said from the table, where Rei was also sitting.

"They're are having a party," Shinju noted as she sat down.

Misako laughed. "Of course, you won today."

"They do that every time we fight?"

"Why not?" Misako shrugged. "It's only the ones that aren't on duty; Captain Sakharov takes readiness very seriously." Her voice had a wistful undercurrent. As cutback as they were, those Azazel troops were still allowed more drinks than she was.

"Oh," Shinju looked down and started eating her vegetables and rice.

"If you want, after dinner, we can go down and give them a visit," Misako offered.

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Humming to herself, Asuka walked up the stairs and crossed to a bulkhead door. Opening the portal she stepped out into the bright sunlight. The subtle smell of salt-air and jet fuel hit her nostrils. She then saw a girl far in front of her sitting near the front of the flight deck.

Facing the port side with her legs dangling over the edge of the deck, she was wearing a very girly black and purple dress. Several ribbons, bows, and ruffles fluttered in the breeze. A purple parasol with scalloped white trim shielded her unnaturally pale skin from the sun. Asuka could just barely make out what was in the girl's other hand; a doll in a matching dress, with red hair.

As Asuka stared she saw the blue-haired girl slowly turn to face her. Despite the distance, Asuka could clearly see the girl's deep, red eyes. Shivering, the redhead blinked. When she opened her eyes the other girl was gone. Blinking several more times, Asuka kept her eyes towards the bow, but the bowed girl did not reappear.

Rubbing her eyes, Asuka turned away from the bow. Walking towards the guardrail she turned around and looked up at the aircraft carrier's island. After waiting a few awkward minutes her frown deepened. It was obvious that Kaji was not going to be coming out here like he had suggested after lunch.

Shoulders slumped, Asuka returned to her room. Once inside she started going though her luggage. It was at the third suitcase that she found it. Haphazardly folded and pressed to the bottom of a side pocket was a bit of glossy paper. Unfolding it at her table, Asuka's deep frown returned.

The poster was trilingual, and while the Russian words were rendered in Cyrillic both the English and Japanese was rendered in the Latin alphabet. Her eyes passed over the bombastic text and focused on the people pictured. One was the square-jawed Azazel pilot, the other... Asuka grit her teeth. At a distance that could have been either of the Ayanamis but the headband was definitive.

"I'm not seeing things. This is stupid. I'm better than her," Asuka muttered. She stared at the Pilot's eyes. Asuka half crumpled half folded the poster back up and stuffed it back into her suitcase. After inhaling, she straightened herself up and went back too the door. "Now where's Kaji?"

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Entering the mess, Kaji went straight to the coffee machine. _I'm so happy this trip's almost over with_, he thought. _Even in a Nimitz there's no escaping her._ Walking past the various Naval officers he put on his normal amused expression.

Sidestepping a tall blond lieutenant, Kaji found himself turned around and facing the starboard side of the mess and saw a woman alone at a table. Despite being inside she wore angular band-like sunglasses that were hauntingly familiar. The woman's hair was shade of pink that was almost lilac. Looking up from her cup, her dark glasses combined with an even expression to convey a sense of distant blankness. She was dressed in a red and khaki Nerv uniform with matching beret.

Stopped, Kaji raised an eyebrow. Upturning the corners of her lips, the woman gave the barest ghost of a smile.

"Kaji!" Asuka loudly cried from behind.

He turned to give a sheepish wave to the onrushing teenager. After she acknowledged him he turned back and saw a table empty, save for a single ship's mug. His eyes scanned the room but he could not find any sign of the Nerv officer.

"Where were you?" Asuka demanded.

Kaji turned back to the redhead. "Huh?"

"You said you'd be outside by the Island after lunch!"

"Oh, yeah," Kaji reached back and scratched his neck. "Well I got a phone call and had to take it. Sorry I missed it."

"That's what you always say," Asuka pouted.

"I'm a busy man," Kaji shrugged, absently turning back to the empty table. He had an idea... but it was too early, _she_ was not due to arrive for another couple days.

"Too busy for me?"

Kaji kept his face neutral as Asuka tried to take on a sexy pose. Combined with her petulant tone, the whole tableau was a garish mockery of sensuality. "So are you looking forward to Tokyo 3?"

"I'm looking forward to finally seeing some action," Asuka leaned forward.

Stepping back, Kaji openly sighed. "You'll have some stiff competition."

"Bah, I'm the best Pilot there is. I'll show those sisters what a real Pilot can do."

"I mean Azazel," Kaji frowned.

"What about them? Evangelion is still the best weapon for fighting Angels." Asuka shrugged.

Kaji chuckled. "Just wait until they get a load of you."

End Chapter 3

Writer's Notes:

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray, Ikarus, and Acey. I'd also like to thank Greydon Creed for writing in with a few suggestions, such as Shinju's sidearm, her unit patch, and the HANO jump. Special thanks also go to Pale Wolf for helping me with many of Beria's lines. I'd also like to thank Nadrek for going over the tactical and strategic aspects of the story.


	4. Resource Management

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh Temple

Naturally, I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. So here's the disclaimer:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Four: Resource Management

Leaning against the railing, Asuka watched the gleaming VSTOL transport approach. Pausing to note the turrets added to the side doors she watched as the craft angled and touched down on the flight deck. As its turbofans spun down the sound assaulting her ears shifted to that of heavy rotors and turboshafts.

She looked up and watched a pair of large insectile helicopters move from a their flanking positions and one at a time approach the carrier. By the time her attention returned to the transport it had disgorged a contingent of soldiers. Wearing black berets with the tricolor of the Russian federation and the crimson spear and cleaved shield of Azazel, they formed a rough perimeter.

Asuka caught a glimpse of a young woman and a much younger girl as they stepped out onto the flight deck.

"There you are," Kaji stated, causing Asuka to spin around in surprise.

"Don't sneak up on me!"

"You should be down by the flight deck." Kaji mildly said, brushing aside her irritated gaze. "Don't you want to meet the Ayanamis?"

Stealing a backwards glance, Asuka gave dismissive shrug. "I suppose, I should give them a good first impression."

Kaji peered down and looked at the pale sisters. "Yes, you only get one chance to make a first impression." He stood up and made for the door. "Right. Let's go."

"What do you think?" Asuka asked as they entered the carrier's island and walked down a flight of stairs to get to the flight deck.

"We seem to be holding our own. Nerv took out the last two Angels. Hopefully we won't need anymore nukes."

For a fraction of a second worry crossed Asuka's face. "No problem. If a test pilot and her runt sister can fight off the Angels, just imagine what can happen with a proper pilot and Eva."

Kaji held his tongue.

"Well?" Asuka sharply asked.

Kaji opened the armored door and stepped out to the flight deck. "Asuka, the test pilots are the ones with the most experience. They're the ones that figured out how to make it work in the first place." He hesitated. They were also no longer "mere" test pilots; they were combat veterans, unlike Asuka.

Two squads of Azazel troopers cut Asuka's retort short. The redhead looked past them to the Ayanamis. The older one was dressed in a Nerv tactical uniform, including the red coat and beret, that while primly cut showed off her lithe body.

Asuka's attention focused on the younger. The girl walked with a measured, deliberate pace and for a moment Asuka thought she was wearing some kind of flounced, ruffled dress.

Instead, the younger Ayanami wore some sort of girl's sailor suit, complete with the pleated skirt, wide almost cape-like collar and big bows over her chest and the back of her waist. A lacy purple hair band contained much of her long blue hair while a set of purple tinted glasses kept the remainder from getting into the girl's eyes.

"I'm sorry you couldn't bring your friends." The older sister's tone was far too energetic for how softspoken her voice was.

Asuka frowned at the Russians, up close their harsh, suspicious demeanor formed an almost tangible field. The strongest came from a glaring giant of a man who hovered behind the younger sister.

That girl's tenor was appropriately reserved for her voice. "I didn't ask. It wouldn't be professional." She looked around the ship in a measured sweep taking care to look at people and then at the other vessels. "Shirane would have loved this, though."

"She would," Misako chuckled and sighed; she had been dreading this moment. The Azazel troops moved to include the two other Nerv personnel on their cordon. Misako then inclined her head at the scraggly man. "Special Inspector Kaji Ryoji."

Shinju mirrored the gesture, causing her hair to spill over the bows on either side of her hair band. "Pilot Soryu."

Kaji glanced over to find Asuka staring into the slight girl's scarlet eyes. "Yes. Captain Ayanami, Misako. Asuka." He cleared his throat.

"Right. Uh... Pilot." The redhead blinked and pulled away from Shinju's eyes, and ended up looking straight at Misako's.

"Where's Captain Groves?"

"He's up in the flag bridge," Kaji pointed to one of the levels in the island.

"Right," Misako stepped past him and started talking with a naval officer a few steps behind Kaji. The forty foot hike up four decks was conducted silently.

Turning around Kaji chuckled, the almost rudely brisk demeanor was very reminiscent. Though the dossier he had read did indicate the Captain and the Project E Director were close. With Asuka at his heel, he followed the Ayanamis as they made their way up the Island.

Kaji was wrong. Captain Robert Groves was not in the flag bridge, that sparse room was completely emtpy. Groves was a deck above in the navigation bridge, which held she ship's helm and various workstations for the bridge team.

Entering the full bright control room, Misako looked to the left and saluted. "Captain."

Bearing a bushy moustache and burly arms, Captain Groves repeated the greeting. His expression hardened as he turned to look behind her. "Kaji, I didn't invite you up here.

Kaji gave a disarming smirk. "Sorry about that."

Groves grunted.

"We appreciate your assistance with the transport of Eva Unit 02." Misako paused, letting her statement hang.

Groves raised an eyebrow.

"Here's the specification of the emergency power socket," Misako pulled a folder out of her valise.

"I haven't heard any request to mobilize 'that' doll at sea."

Misako sucked air through her teeth. So that was the game Third Branch was playing. "Just think of it as a backup in case of emergency."

Groves chuckled. Backup was about right. "To guard against such emergencies we the Pacific Fleet, are escorting it. When did the US Navy become a delivery service?"

Misako blinked. Most of the planes on the deck bore UN markings, though a few... a few were more... specific.

Groves' executive officer, a lanky man, cleared his throat. "I believe it was just after a certain organization was established." Commander Leslie Oppenheimer looked at the two women with their red eyes. At least they were better than the Nerv staff they had been dealing with..

"This is a massive escort for guarding a mere toy. The _entire_ Pacific Fleet is mobilized." Groves stared her in the eye as he emphasized the second word in the second sentence.

Misako nodded in understanding. A certain organization had turned them into messenger boys, then another had turned them back into sailors. "Considering Eva's importance it seems too... small." Misako wanted to say "slow"; though what she really wanted was to bust some heads at Third Branch, or at least have a beer while she ordered Sakharov to do it for her. "Well, please sign these forms."

Groves sighed and exhaled slowly. "Not yet. At the request of the Third Branch in Germany... both Unit 02 and its pilot are under this fleet's command." He winced; but orders were orders. "_I_ won't allow you to just do as you please." He took care to stress the first word.

"Then, when will you transfer command?" Misako calmly asked, sympathizing with how Third Branch had hamstrung Groves as well.

Oppenheimer cut in. "After unloading the cargo at Shin-Yokosuka."

Groves looked to the Azazel Naval Infantry Captain. "We're still in charge at sea. Follow our orders without question."

"I understand. In an emergency, however, please don't forget that Nerv has-" Misako caught herself. In truth, Nerv did not have authority. JSSDF had overall authority, and that was only on Japanese soil. Out here... Azazel was the more likely authority, being, nominally, a naval organization.

Recovering from her stumble Misako kept her tone level. "Nerv has considerable experience. Captain Sakharov can lend some of Azazel's experience as well, if the situation arises."

"We appreciate that Nerv sent out some officers to discuss things and help with emergency management," Groves gruffly answered.

Misako coughed. "Third Branch deserves the credit. They were quite insistent on taking responsibility."

"Yes, they were." Groves smirked. "Very well. We don't have that much left, you can go and wait in the mess. Lieutenant Briggs can show you the way."

"Sir," Misako saluted.

Groves watched the Nerv and Azazel contingent leave. "Shit! Those kids will save the Earth?" he asked once they were safely out of earshot. At least the new one was quiet; besides he preferred slightly-creepy to... whatever that Soryu girl was.

Oppenheimer chuckled. "Times change."

Groves raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Sounds more like history is repeating itself."

"I heard that Congress has put its hopes in that robot."

"In that toy? Idiots!"

Oppenheimer shrugged. "Do you expect congress to spend it's money wisely? We should count ourselves lucky we have what we have."

Groves looked over the water out towards the cargo ship Othello. "If they have the money for things like this, they should be paying us more."

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In the mess hall. Misako, Shinju, and Sakharov sat on one side of the table while Kaji and Asuka sat on the other. The remaining Azazel troops sat around them in a relaxed but alert state.

Asuka looked across the table. Then she looked to Kaji. As she waited the pressure came to a head. "What was that all about?"

Kaji waited to see if anyone else would answer; he then suppressed a sigh. "Captain Groves, and apparently Captain Ayanami have issues with how Third Branch is operating."

"Then why didn't they say it?"

Kaji shook his head. "They're soldiers. One doesn't question orders."

Looking at the two implacable crimson eyed girls, Asuka snorted. Derision was better than worrying about what they were thinking. "And what's Third Branch doing that's so wrong?"

"The Nakajima-Douglas YC-59 Mobile Operation: Evangelion System is capable of carrying a battle-loaded Unit nearly four thousand kilometers," Shinju stated.

"Russia offered Third Branch the use of our airstrips. Those that would fit one of those beasts." Sakharov snickered slightly, though the warmth did not reach his eyes.

"The 59 also has in-flight refueling capability," Misako flatly added.

"So... why didn't they fly my Unit, then? Wouldn't it be faster?" Asuka blinked.

"Yes, but Third branch felt that this would be a more reliable way. Those transports haven't carried any Eva's very far." Kaji suddenly turned to Misako. "So, are you seeing anyone?"

Tilting her head a couple millimeters, Misako stared. Some things never changed. Deciding no response was worth the hassle she kept silent and waited him out.

"Oh, you're so cold," Kaji teased. After he laughed he looked to see those red eyes still quietly, distantly measuring him.

Kaji let his attention drift. "So you came up with the battle plan against Ramiel?" he asked Shinju.

"How do you know that?"

Kaji brushed the question aside. "It's no surprise, you're famous in our society. The Fourth Child, who's tied for the Angel kill record. You fought one Angel alone and then launched from eight kilometers in the sky to defeat another. A little girl selflessly fighting to save humanity. Of course people are going to look up to your courage."

Underneath the table, Asuka's fists clenched.

"Not really. It was training." Shinju made a note to inform Section Two of a possible intelligence breach.

The younger girl's bland, modest demeanor ate at Asuka and the Second Child openly glowered.

"Training?" Kaji raised an eyebrow. "That's a skill. It's part of your destiny. It's your talent." He got up. "See you later, then."

Asuka lingered but quickly decided that needling a distracted Kaji was preferable to the company of Russians and creepy sisters

After the redhead left Sakharov stood up. To the casual eye the sisters' expressions seemed neutral and idle, but he had been around the Ayanamis long enough to pick up on their minute facial tells. The slight wrinkling of the brows, the bare narrowing of the eyes, the straightened shoulders and back....

"Who wants some tea?" he asked, hoping to improve their spirits, or at least lessen their stress. "Anyone hungry? I'm sure they can at least make a sandwich or two."

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Kaji leaned against a bulkhead and looked out at the ocean. "What do you think of Ayanami Shinju?"

Holding herself up on the railing, Asuka swung her legs back and forth. "She's dull. I'm disappointed that a girl like her has been chosen as the Fourth Child." Asuka held back her unease, Kaji seemed perfectly fine with the sisters. He even hit on one of them; Asuka's grip tightened.

"The first time using Unit 01, her syncro-rate exceeded sixty percent." Kaji smirked.

Asuka froze. "No way! No one's that good!"

Kaji disarmingly, and defensively put his palms up. "The kid's a natural. It's in the blood."

"She's only a Pilot because her sister's one," Asuka spat.

"Well... yes. Siblings of Pilots would have much higher than average odds of being a Pilot themselves – it's genetic," he explained, then hastily added. "It's just... Shinju was too young."

"Until the Third Child died."

"Yup, in battle," Kaji stared into the distance. The story was... odd. Those two Ayanamis were definitely sisters. It would be hard to fake that kind of effortless familiarity, not to mention the obvious physical and mental similarities. However it all seemed too... neat. It all made Nerv HQ seem, suddenly, too on the ball.

"Evangelion didn't even sortie," Asuka snorted replacing the word battle; in her view an N2 mine followed by a nuclear cruise missile did not count.

Kaji idly wondered how the elder Ayanami would handle Asuka; Azazel training figured prominently in his suppositions.

"And what kind of a girl wears bows and a hair band like that?"

"She does." Kaji shrugged. "It works for her."

Asuka glared before pushing herself off the railing. She marched back into the ship and returned to the mess, where she found the Ayanamis and Russians sitting around the same table.

The redhead put her hands on her hips. "Fourth Child! Come with me!"

Shinju's eyes narrowed fractionally, and Igor moved to face the interloper; like an avalanche, scale made his motions look slower than they actually were.

"What's this about?" Misako crisply asked.

"I want to show her my Evangelion."

"Oneesan?" Shinju asked.

Misako frowned. The years had not tempered Asuka, on the contrary. "If she wants to show off, let her. I wanted you to be familiarized with Unit 02 anyway."

Looking at Asuka's triumphant smirk, Shinju gave a small nod.

"Igor. Take a squad and one of the Mi-24's"

"They're coming?" Asuka felt she kept her tone controlled.

"That's the purpose of Lieutenant Khariton and his men." Misako smiled slightly. Sakharov had already briefed her on the composition of Asuka's protective platoon.

Looking between Misako's miniscule expression of mirth and a Igor's gigantic grin, Asuka started to regret her actions. However, some of the Russians had already stood up and began to escort Shinju out of the room.

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Asuka almost flounced down the walkway on the Othello. The helicopter ride had been hair-raising. She wondered why Nerv would let its Pilots risk their lives in such dated and dangerous machines. However her spirits soared as she drew nearer. With a flourish she lifted up the corner of the immense tarp that covered the cargo old of the ship.

To her satisfaction even the Russian soldiers gasped. Turning around she wanted to capture the Fourth's awe. Instead....

"Unit 02 is red." Shinju flatly observed.

"That's not the only difference!"

"Proper color at least," Igor noted sagely. The titanic war machine was laying in a pool of lilac-colored coolant liquid. The left side of its head was submerged

Asuka sniffed and stepped down to the floating dock that lead to the Unit's head and plug. "After all, Units 00 and 01 are prototypes. They're just test models. That's why it synchronized with someone who hasn't had any training. However, Unit 02 is different. This is a true Evangelion, the first on Earth to be built for actual combat. The final model."

She turned to see that Shinju had followed her while most of the Russians had remained atop up on the deck. Only the giant of an officer had come down with the petite Pilot.

Shinju gave a slight nod. "Correct. Unit 02 has better internal batteries, especially in recharge speed. The shoulder pylons were upgraded structurally and given supplemental defensive measures. The progressive knife is a new model with a backup blade mechanism. The targeting computer had a new software version . The armor on the arms and chest is of a stronger alloy, and the hips joints are more flexible."

Asuka blinked.

"Oneechan and I were briefed on Unit 02's capabilities."

"Well yes, it's much better than the others."

Shinju blinked.

Sighing Asuka climbed off of Unit 02's head. At least she had not gone with her original plan and climbed to the summit of its back for her declaration. Stepping onto the floating dock, she nearly fell because of a sudden and deep explosion.

"What's happening?" Shinju demanded of Igor.

The Russian barked a few orders to his men before speaking into his radio.

"A cruiser just got hit! Broke up amidships. Something huge!" Sergeant Ginzburg shouted from up on the the deck.

Shinju frowned. "That's an Angel."

"Is that a real one?" Asuka started walking down the dock. She jumped up the steps and looked out into the water and saw another ship get hit. "Chance," she whispered, a feral smirk growing on her face.

She turned around and bumped into a glowering Slavic giant. "Hey, where're we going?"

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"What do we have?" Misako asked as she stepped into the command center. Through the window she could see a few of planes taking off from the deck and many of the ships firing as they separated. The missiles and torpedoes hit harmlessly, but Misako surmised, damage was not their purpose.

"Pattern Blue, it's an Angel." Commander Oppenheimer looked up from a display. "Fleet is nearing separation point."

Captain Groves nodded and looked up to Misako. "National Command Authority has ordered us to use non-UN resources and weapons."

"Sakharov contact HQ." Misako's attention returned to Groves. "What are your submarine force and other strategic assets?"

"So far we've contacted the USS's Oak Ridge, Inyokern, Wendover, and Uravan," Groves stated. "Air assets are also being deployed."

"What of Unit 02? Are you planning to launch before support arrives?" Misako asked Groves.

Before the Capitan could respond, Igor radioed in. "Capitan Ayanami, Pilot Soryu request launch."

Oppenheimer's eyes widened. "Is she serious? Unit 02's still configured with B-equipment."

Misako's eyes hardened and she briefly promised to take Third Branch to task for this... treasonous incompetence. The timing... the timing merely heightened her paranoia. "Denied. Igor take the Pilots. Get them as far away as possible. Use whatever means available," she stated into her radio.

"Very well, we can have Unit 00 on it way with a functional load out but..." Misako shook her head.

Groves paused in giving orders. "We can delay operations until the Pilots are a safe distance."

Misako nodded.

Sakharov leaned in and whispered into Misako's ear. "Capitan, 00 and 01 are being equipped and loaded. Director Ritsuko also asked about the Special Inspector?"

Her stomach tightening into a cold knot Misako turned her head. "Send out your men, contact ship security. Find him. If he tries to leave, kill him. This isn't adding up."

Grinning coldly, Sakharov nodded.

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"B-Type? Chyort voz'mi!" Igor swore; he had herded the Pilots back into the cargo area and had a his squad take a defensive position, though the way that monster cut through ships....

"Oh," Shinju almost growled as she pulled out her handgun and worked the action. She knew it was useless against an AT field, but there was no reason the enemy had to be limited to just giant Angels.

Asuka blinked at the weapon. "So?"

Shinju gave the redhead a flat gaze. The paralysis due to being submerged was a primary deficiency of B-Type equipment. That was why Shinju requested a different load out for the Jet Alone wargame. "If you fall into the sea, it's over."

"If I don't we'll be okay," Asuka countered.

By now Igor had received his orders. "No go. No launch." He changed the channel on his radio. "Sergey start the engines. We leave! Now!"

"What?" Asuka screamed. "Who's going to fight the Angel?"

"Not you," Igor stated.

"No, I won't go! I've got to stop it!" Asuka started walking down the dock.

"What are you going to do? Jump from ship to ship?" Shinju held kept her gun pointed to the floor.

"Bakapor. No time!" Igor ran up and cut the girl off. "Orders. We leave."

Anger welled in Asuka's face and she opened her mouth.

Before she could speak, well measured, a ham-hock of a fist launched at the redhead and hit her in the face. Momentum alone knocked the girl into a sprawling heap, which Igor rapidly set upon, securing her ankles and her wrists behind her back with zip-ties. One of his sergeants then grabbed Asuka's duffle bag.

After quickly checking her breathing, taking her pulse, and making sure that the bleeding around her nose was not severe, he hefted the girl on his shoulder and was relieved to see that Shinju and the rest of his men were already running aft towards the helipad. Barely minding the load he sprinted down the ship and caught up with the other Azazel troops. The Mi-24's powered-up turboshafts were music to his ears.

Busy with general quarters, the ship's crew hardly noticed as the Russians pushed the girls into the helicopter which immediately took off. As the lumbering aircraft ascended they watched as the immense wake of the unseen enemy shoot towards the cargo ship.

They were barely two hundred meters up when the Othello was struck. Her keel broken, the ship separated and there was a flash of red as the tarp was pulled back, briefly exposing the Evangelion before it sank to the bottom. Hearing the ship's death Asuka screamed and thrashed but was held by the two troopers who flanked her.

Grimly, Igor made sure that the Captains were informed and that Sergey's heading, towards land, was the best one.

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As his call connected, Kaji heard another batch of explosions. "That kind of attack won't penetrate its AT-field," he grimly muttered, knowing full well what kind of attack would.

Looking out the portal of his cramped room, he sighed and presented the correct authorization codes to the operator.

"Yes?" the irritable deep voice answered.

"I never expected an Angel attack here." There was another ineffective explosion as an Exocet missile... nearly hit the angel. "They- this isn't like what you said," Kaji cursed his slip and watched a couple of seconds of battle before it slipped out of view. The Navy was not aiming to damage the Angel. They were making sure they could hit it.

Kaji frowned at the phone's silence.

"That's what Unit 02 is for, and another Pilot's there as a reserve. If the _worst_ happens, escape by yourself," the man's voice ordered.

"I understand."

The connection terminated.

Sighing again, he picked up the reinforced suitcase and left his small overnight bag. Kaji opened the door and stepped out into the corridor, the alarms signaling general quarters increased in volume and assaulted his ears.

"Halt!" a voice shouted in accented English.

Kaji turned to see a trio of Azazel soldiers raise their weapons at him. Standing behind them were some irate USN sailors; though _their_ rifles were lowered.

"What's going on?"

The lead Azazel trooper spoke into his radio. "We got him. Leaving room. With suitcase." The last statement came out of Sergeant Zlatoust's mouth laced with venom.

Kaji tried a disarming smile. "I'm operating under Nerv orders."

"So are we," Zlatoust chuckled mirthlessly. "Captain Ayanami wants to see you."

"Look, I'm under orders to take care of this package."

"Which you will put down." Zlatoust glared at the suitcase. "Master Chief Penn, can you get an EOD team?"

Kaji stiffened in realization. They were under attack, and here he was sneaking out with a strange, heavy case. "Oh come on, it's not like it's a bomb." He then winced. That was not a wise thing for a suspected saboteur to blurt.

"Put case down," Zlatoust repeated as Penn sent a runner to get an Explosives Ordinance Disposal team.

Kaji lowered the suitcase to the floor. "This is Top Secret Nerv. You can't just crack it open."

"That's for Tactical Operations to decide." Zlatoust repeated robotically. He then radioed an update and found himself talking with Ayanami.

Kaji exhaled. The chain of command had him in the right; these brutes just had to be informed. "Just tell the Captain to contact her superiors. That'll clear this all up," he disarmingly said.

With a grunt, Zlatoust relayed the Inspector's sentiments. He smirked at the response he got. At least someone in Nerv was decisive. "Captain will clarify your orders," he told Kaji.

"And then what?" Kaji eyed the case.

Zlatoust briefly checked to make sure his men were still on target. "No concern. You telling truth; you okay. You not..." His smirk grew fractionally.

Kaji shook his head. At least they caught him early. He did not want to contemplate what they would have done if they had found him in the hanger, or worse if they saw him taking off in a commandeered Yak-38.

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The USS Inyokern was about to end half a century of American atomic abstinence. Operating on the Northern periphery of the fleet it received word from command. The sounds or breaking hulls was a minor part of the sonar "picture".

A target of unprecedented size was streaking among the fleet. Several times longer than a Nimitz the target's immense cavitations were quite useful. The constant formation and collapse of bubbles and wake made the beast trivial to track.

Captain Enrico Teller leaned over his sonar operator's shoulder; the thing's heading might has well have been put up in neon. The only question was if they could get within range before it decided to turn and head back.

"Bastard's turning, again." Lieutenant Ede Fermi stated. "Damn thing's wallowing like a sow."

"It's not built for maneuvering." Teller muttered, hearing the cavitations grow as the ungangly beast tried to turn and ended up wallowing as it shed velocity. The enemy was optimized for speed, and had to take wide turns in order to circle back to take another pass at the fleet.

"We're in range!" Lieutenant Farrell, one of the weapons officers shouted.

""Fire tube three," Teller stated, despite the dryness in his mouth.

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The Mi-24 landed at a JSSDF airfield near Shin-Yokosuka. Igor removed the heavy anti-radiation blankets that the Pilots had been wrapped in.

Shinju gave a nod of thanks and stepped off the helicopter, while Asuka glared from her bloodied face.

Taking measure of her expression, Igor only cut her leg bindings, and picked her up by the shoulder.

"Stop it!" Asuka cried as she was manhandled out of the helicopter.

Once on the pavement her thrashing stopped and she looked to see the young Ayanami staring out toward the water. Asuka glared at the girl, then at the helicopter, then at the helicopter's pilots. "Wait... why were they wearing eye patches?"

"Same reason we were told to keep our eyes closed." Shinju stated, averting her gaze from the water. "In case the flash from the fireball blinded them."

"That's crazy." Asuka pulled at her wrist bindings. "I would have had this thing fixed by now.

Igor looked the girl over, there was little bruising and she did not seem to have a concussion but... "We going," he rumbled, motioning for them to get into the tower building. It was cast concrete and provided some measure of protection and the airbase would have a doctor that could check her out.

"Pulling your best Pilot away from the battle." Asuka snorted as they entered the building. "What kind of officer is Misako?"

Shinju turned, a disarmingly small frown on her face. "Why are you making things more difficult?"

Holding a mobile phone, his radio was out or range, Igor stepped up to Shinju. "Director Akagi called. Your transport is flying in."

Asuka's cheeks flushed. However her retort was cutoff by a distant, thunderous explosion.

"May not need Eva then," Igor muttered before going back to the tower phone. "We just heard explosion. Status?"

"Scheisse," Asuka swore.

"See?" Shinju asked, just before another shockwave buffeted the building. They were too far for it to be much more than wind and noise, but it was still impressive.

Asuka glared.

Shinju stared back. "You would have just been in the way."

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With the sound of supersonic shock waves in the background, Gendo looked over his steepled hands. "You had both of your Pilots retreat from battle, let one get assaulted by an Azazel soldier, lost an Evangelion, stood by as the American Navy destroyed the Angel, and then detained Special Inspector Kaji preventing him from making a critical delivery. Explain yourself Captain."

Misako Ayanami looked past the Commander and out at the panoramic view of the Geo Front through the glass behind him. "I merely gave the best orders given the situation."

Commander Ikari inclined his head slightly and stared down at the albino clone.

Fuyutsuki found his attention drawn to the projection screen that had been lowered from its ceiling-recess. On it was shaky camera footage of the battle. An underwater explosion displaced tens of thousands of tons of water in what resembled a titanic frothing bubble and vaporized nearly as much. After it had collapsed into a boiling sea another explosion came and reignited the maelstrom. By miracle, and dispersal of the fleet, few ships were capsized by the blast. Many were bathed in radiation, though their crews had time to make sure no one was on deck.

"Is that true?" Gendo's eyes were locked onto Misako's.

The camera switched to one from the deck of a ship. The stability indicated that it was on some kind of remote mount. The impassive, implacable camera tracked pair of missiles as they streaked in.

Misako held fast. "Sir, given its condition, deploying Unit 02 would have been disastrous."

The missiles slipped into the water and after an agonizing, anticipating moment detonated. The twinned explosions combined and formed smaller but fiercer blast-waves. Behind the displaced water, fireballs and flashes of stark-white flesh were visible. Gaghiel's AT field collapsed, its core ruptured, and man killed another of Adam's children.

"Yes, the B-Type equipment."

Fuyutsuki could detect a slight undercurrent of disgust in Ikari's statement. This time the professor had to suppress a smirk.

"Sir, permission to speak candidly?"

Gendo nodded.

"To date every enemy Angel has attacked from the ocean. To not equip an Evangelion crossing two oceans with aquatic capable equipment..." This time Misako's eyes went to the screen as it looped, showing the same footage from another set of cameras. "We are either dealing with negligent incompetence of such a scale to be criminal or outright sabotage and treason."

Ikari concealed a small smile. "Oh?"

"First Third Branch drags their feet on the Reorganization, then they do everything they can to delay shipping Unit 02 and its Pilot. Finally, when forced to transfer the Unit, they pick the slowest, and easiest to track, transportation method possible. Then fail to equip the Unit such that it can fight."

Briefly wondering if the Captain had gotten some pointers from Akagi before hand, Fuyutsuki gave a slight nod.

"The Evangelion could still generate an AT field," Gendo Stated.

"To what use, Sir? With B-Type, Unit 02 would be immobile the second it hit the water. That left staying on the cargo ship or some insane ship to ship skipping. Neither option would work against a wholly aquatic Angel." Misako slowly turned back to Gendo. "I'm sorry to say Sir, but sunk at the bottom was the best place for Unit 02 in this battle."

"And the assault on the Second Child?"

"She refused a direct order." Misako crisply stated. "And in doing so, placed herself and others in danger - including the Fourth."

"Gaghiel did destroy the cargo ship soon after the helicopter left. Further delay would have been disastrous." Fuyutsuki pointed out.

"Which just leaves the detention and interrogation of the Special Inspector," Gendo stated.

"When the ranking Nerv officer of a convoy vanishes during an attack on the convoy, that is suspicious. When there is strong circumstantial evidence of sabotage and the officer in question is found sneaking out of his room with a container he refuses to open, that is more than suspicious."

"He was operating under orders," Gendo's gaze sharpened.

"Without proof it was merely the word of someone who planned to flee the battle in a jet. Until I got confirmation from you or Sub-commander Fuyutsuki, I treated him as a potential hostile. Traitors are capable of lying, Sir."

"Is there the possibility of your previous relationship affecting your judgment?"

"Sir, I'll admit that Katsuragi's relationship with him did give me an insight into his character and his capability of duplicity. I hoped he was operating legitimately but he was the only Nerv officer there. The only other Nerv personnel were a skeleton crew of technicians who died when the Othello sank and the Second Child."

"You have kept Kaji in a detention cell," Fuyutsuki reminded Ikari.

Gendo pushed his glassed up the bridge of his nose and wondered if the "Zeroeth" Child was referring to her old self as a separate person out of a desire to "maintain character" or out of genuine feelings. He would have to consult Dr. Akagi on the subject. "The situation is most vexing, and I am short on satisfactory answers. At least some of my officers have their loyalties in the proper place."

"You suspect Third Branch?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"The Captain is correct. Their actions leave two unpleasant options."

"And several unpleasant consequences, Sir." Misako added. "The Americans have pulled their Naval forces out of the UN fleet. The Russians will soon follow."

Fuyutsuki looked to the display. "That matches the Russian's desire to expand Azazel, and the American's pursuit of a sister program."

"Who proved their effectiveness during the battle."

"Yes, without them, the UN fleet would have been reduced to a tithe instead of merely decimated..

"Allowing host nations to recover even more of their ships." Gendo stated. "Without the Americans and the Russians, the Europeans and the Chinese will be next, followed by the remainder."

"And Nerv gets the blame," Fuyutsuki frowned.

"Sirs, it is Third Branch's fault, and the guilty parties should be charged fully," Misako's voice was cold and clipped.

"An investigation would help us determine whether it was sabotage or incompetence," Fuyutsuki allowed.

"And a court martial or two would show Nerv's commitment while focusing the blame onto Third Branch." Gendo put his hands down, revealing his cold smile. "Captain, I believe you have another Pilot to train. Dismissed."

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Asuka glared at the wall. At least she had been given her own apartment. Given what had happened to her Evangelion, it was the very least Nerv could do. Her anger renewed at the injustice against her.

The apartment door cracked open and a deep contralto assaulted her ears. "Feh, so they did manage to find an apartment that they had yet to stink up with borscht and vodka."

Hearing German, Asuka could immediately recognize the Low Saxon accent. She turned to face the woman and had mixed surprise. The stout, strong blue-eyed, short blonde haired middle-aged woman was quite Germanic, though the Russian Naval Infantry uniform showed that she would have fit in on a Russian farm as easily as a German one.

"And you are?"

"You did not read the report?" the woman frowned and stepped into the room.

Asuka glared.

"Lieutenant Katrina Diebner, Azazel. My platoon has been assigned to you," Katrina stated, closing the door behind her.

"Right." Asuka sighed. "Well, you speak German passably enough. Are you going to punch me in the face too?" she asked, stepping into the kitchen.

"If you refuse an order, yes." Katrina stated. "And I am more German than you are."

"Right, because German citizens can serve in the Russian military."

Katrina gave a brief smile. "Says the American."

Asuka narrowed her eyes. "Blame my father for that."

"I was a citizen of the German Democratic Republic, until I was sixteen and that country ceased to exist. Then my family moved back to Konigsberg, but it was a brief respite, as communism soon fell there too."

"You're not calling it Kaliningrad?" Asuka knew enough Prussian history to understand the terms..

"Use the General's name? Yes the Motherland defeated the fascists, and I suppose that is reason to take away that land from the Fatherland." Diebner shrugged her shoulders. "That is the past."

"Huh... so you went with the Russians?"

"The Fatherland would not take me. Not with my family's history."

Asuka blinked. "What?".

"No matter." Katrina walked around the room. "As I said, my platoon has been assigned to guarding you, and if I can force that collection of potato-digging peasants into a batch of real soldiers, imagine what I can do with you."

"Hey! I'm the-"

Katrina snapped the back of her hand across Asuka's face. "You are slow! You are an insult to the Fatherland. It is a good thing you are a child. If you were an adult your treachery would have gotten you shot."

Face reddening, Asuka glared at the scared-woman. "I wanted to fight!"

Katrina sniffed. "Your fighting spirit is not lacking, only your sense."

"I knew the risks! I'll die to kill the Angels."

"Must I repeat myself?" Katrina shook her head. "The time may come when your life will be spent, but I should hope it would not be cashed in on such a foolhardy endeavor. A water battle would have been suicidal, and worse you would have gotten in the way, preventing others from killing the enemy."

"That's not my fault!"

Katrina's eyes hardened. "Yes. It is."

Asuka paused.

"Who's Evangelion is currently resting on the ocean floor?" Katrina asked in a disturbingly jovial German.

Asuka's reply was automatic. "Mine."

"And you knew the limits of your equipment." Katrina savored the frightened look in the young girl. "Did you not anticipate an aquatic battle? Did you not force those technicians to request the necessary equipment, before the convoy stated? Is Unit 02 not your responsibility?"

"I-"

"You what? You sunned yourself on the deck? You chased after that Nerv Inspector? Did you train at all on the journey?"

"No. Of course not."

Katrina glared.

"What? I couldn't very well activate my Evangelion."

"Fah, so much work to do." Katrina turned to the door. "Come," she ordered without turning around.

Reluctantly, Asuka followed. Stepping out into the hallway, she saw the depressingly familiar grouping of Azazel troops. They walked down the hallway, passing several open doors. Which contained idle soldiers most were resting, reading, or playing card games, but one had a quartet practicing on their instruments.

After a trip in the elevator they cut through the lobby. Sandbagged positions, tripod mounted machine guns, and various supply crates were glaringly conspicuous. Exiting a side door they stepped onto a grassy side yard.

There Asuka stared as she watched two of the Ayanamis... fight. Both were in stripped t-shirts and shorts. The younger one was wearing her hair band and those purple glasses. The older one was nearly identical, save the two years of growth, shorter hair, and ruby-lens glasses.

Each held a black, rubber knife and to Asuka's slight confusion were leading with their empty hands. Overseeing their sprawling combat, was the giant that had punched Asuka.

A measure or pride crossed the man's face as Shinju knocked one of Rei's legs and as the girl fell repeatedly jabbing her practice blade into Rei's side. He then frowned when Rei flipped her blade and poked Shinju's neck.

"Everyone loses! Hahaha!" He then helped the two girls to their feet. "Let this be lesson for you," he informed Shinju after examining her neck, and Rei's leg. "You did well! Both of you.

"Knife fight ugly." He dusted his big hands and turned to Asuka. "Oh no, _you_ I do not forget!"

Asuka's shock at seeing the sisters go from pummeling each other to their strange... staring evaporated under the fierce hate she radiated towards the big man.

"The Second Child needs training," Katrina said, switching to Japanese.

"Dah."

"Perhaps a spar to see where she is?"

Igor examined the Asuka, then slowly turned to the Ayanamis. "You are no match for _them_!" He laughed darkly. "Go run home to Mama!"

Asuka's face reddened to match her hair. "Don't you dare... don't mock me! I'll take them both on."

Katrina sighed, at both Igor and Asuka. "I should have waited until it was Pyotr's turn to train. He knew how to keep his mouth shut."

Igor gave a bearish grin.

"I'll practice with the Second," Shinju quietly offered.

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Kaji leaned against the bolted down chair in his cell. Ikari was supposed to straighten this all out. He was supposed to straighten out that pink-haired Captain and her Russian goons. Instead.....

"At least they're not going to kill me," he muttered looking at the armored door. "Ayanami could have dumped me overboard after taking the case."

He watched as the door opened and a pair of black-suited Security Intelligence agents stepped in and took positions flanking the door. "Hey guys, either of you got a smoke?" he asked, an easy grin forming on his stubbled face.

The smile cracked as a pair of meaty Russians stepped into the room and took position in the corners adjacent to the door and leveled their rifles. His expression broke completely as Captain Ayanami strode in, her hands clasped behind her back.

She stopped several paces in front of Kaji and the affixed table before him. To keep clear lines of fire he realized with slight dread. "Mister Ryoji Kaji," she flatly stated.

"Why hello Misako-chan." Kaji smiled.

"Captain Ayanami." Misako coldly clarified. "Mister Kaji-"

"Shouldn't I be Special Inspector Kaji then?"

"Mister Kaji," Misako repeated, her voice sharpening briefly. "There are several irregularities about your recent behavior."

"Oh?"

"As the ranking Nerv officer during Unit 02's transfer were you aware of its inadequate loadout?"

"Oh?" His smile faltered briefly "That's not my responsibility."

"So Third Branch released an Evangelion with only a skeleton maintenance crew and a Pilot?'

"It's her Eva."

"Does Third Branch make a habit of such negligence?"

"Why don't you ask them?"

Misako frowned. "When did Director Harteck give you the case?"

"The day the Othello left Wilhelmshaven."

"Did he recommend against the airlift?"

"Nope. I think that was Commander Bothe's choice. He was always jealous of Ikari. The other branches are loath to give up their Evas. As you should know being from First Branch. How is Major Proust doing? Her sister's still trying to get into Nerv?"

Misako paused. "You kept the case near Unit 02 in case of an Angel attack. Did it not occur to you to verify the Eva's usefulness?"

Kaji's grin shifted slightly. "So do you like being back with your sisters? Must have been a while since you last saw them."

"Every attack has originated from the Ocean, and yet when the Commander in Chief of Nerv tasks you with guarding critical equipment, you do not ensure that the Evangelion with you could survive getting wet?"

"There were nukes."

"You decided that Nerv should once again depend on another organization's protection?"

"Well, no."

"Did you inform the Commander of this change in defensive strategy?"

"What?" Kaji's eyes sharpened. "You kept me from leaving!"

"If you had gone through proper channels your leaving during battle would not have been suspicious," Misako mildly stated.

Kaji gaped. The implacable red eyed woman glanced to her guards. "You can't be serious," he moaned.

"As a Special Inspector you are supposed to provide oversight to Nerv operations. Why did you not report Third Branch's gross violations?"

Kaji's gaze fractured. "The Unit wasn't my responsibility. The case was."

"Why didn't you petition a faster mode of transportation?"

"I don't have that kind of authority."

Misako gave a slight nod.

"And unfortunately, neither does Commander Ikari."

"Is that your reason for not informing him?" Misako asked, noting his grin beginning to return.

"Oh, I told him, but the Commander insisted I stay with the Evangelion."

"Did you inform him as to its deficient equipment?"

"Well.... no." Kaji looked up. He would have preferred to see her give a victorious little smile or a smug smirk or even any kind of satisfaction. Instead her face was cold and distant.

Misako briefly lowered her head. "What do you know about B-Type equipment?"

"I thought it was just basic. It's not like I'm part of Nerv Tactical. Like you or your predecessor."

Misako cocked an eyebrow. "Why did Third Branch not assign Soryu's tactical officers?"

"Bothe felt that Lieutenant Clusius would be a burden. Maybe he didn't want to pay for the return fare."

Misako frowned at his joke. "Petty corruption? Why didn't you report it, Inspector?"

Kaji bristled. "It wasn't part of my mission."

"Escorting a package did not take up all of your time. Was some other job dividing your attention?" Misako asked mildly.

Kaji's smile flickered for half a second. "That information is classified, only Commander Ikari has need to know."

"Very well," Misako then pulled back her ear and tapped the headset clipped to her ear. "Hello, Commander sir? Yes, he went with that excuse. Understood." Finally smiling, she turned to him.

Kaji stiffened. "He's coming isn't he?"

"This won't be a waste of his time. Will it?"

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Ritsuko looked up from her paperwork and sighed. She had hoped, however slight the chances were, that this appointment was a joke. "Yes?" she asked eyeing the two... German women.

"She bit me!" Asuka screeched. "That creepy little freak bit me!"

Ritsuko's souring gaze went from the Second Child to the Azazel lieutenant. "While I have a medical degree, I hardly think going all the way to Central Dogma is appropriate for such a wound."

"Not about wound. Injury was dressed after sparring, very little bleeding," Katrina stated.

"What kind of psycho is the Fourth?"

"You did knee her in the ribs." Katrina's voice had a touch of pride.

"And she bit me! Right through my leg."

"Yes, the distraction allowed her to flip and subdue you," Katarina patiently explained.

Ritsuko rubbed her forehead. Originally she had skimmed Azazel's Pilot training reports. Then came the pig and the knives. There was a reason the Ayanamis were vegetarians. Ritsuko felt a headache begin to form at the memory. "Isn't this more of a Tactical Branch issue?" She sighed, if it was not... then Misako would need to be adjusted. "Where was Captain Ayanami in all this?"

"The Captain is in Central Dogma, investigating the previous battle," Katrina crisply stated.

"And it's not like she'd be any help," Asuka glowered.

Resistance crumbling, Ritsuko opened her desk drawer and pulled a pack of cigarettes and her lighter. She offered the pack to Katrina, who politely declined. Lighting up, the bottle-blonde returned her gaze to Asuka. "Are you trying to protest your commanding officer?" Ritsuko blew out a plume of bluish-smoke "Is this an attempt to go over Misako's head?"

Seeing the doctor's frustrated amusement, Asuka hesitated. "I thought you'd be impartial."

"Impartial? Hah! This is Tokyo Three. Do you have any idea how deep the nepotism and cronyism runs here?"

"What?"

"You're angry because the other Pilots are related to the tactical commander and that I'm friends with her? Of course we're all close. Those girls are all that's keeping Japan from being reduced to radioactive slag. You don't think their performance hasn't been under a microscope?"

Ritsuko took a drag on her cigarette. "Never-mind that they're being trained by their rival organizations. Never-mind that it was an Azazel training session that's made you so pissy, or that it was Azazel personnel that you owe your life to. You're angry at the officer who kept you from running off and getting yourself killed."

"You can't speak to me this way," Asuka glared.

Ritsuko gave a manic laugh. At least she did not have to deal with seemingly compliant but judging eyes, no this was simpler fare. "I'm the Director of Project E. There's only three other people you can talk to. One you've already bypassed and the others..." She leaned forward and pulled her lips back and held her cigarette in between her teeth. "Maybe you _should _try to talk to Commander Ikari."

"Maybe I will!" Asuka shouted.

"Nein, bad idea," Katrina intoned.

Ritsuko lit a fresh cigarette and rubbed out the old one on an astray. "The way I see it, you've got two choices. You can do whatever Nerv tells you to do, or you can go back to Hamburg."

Asuka's face colored. "But... there's only Three Pilots."

"And? Nerv can't afford the risk of an insubordinate Pilot. Do you know the damage a berserk Pilot could cause us?" Ritsuko looked the redhead in the eye. "If you want to stay here you'll obey, and I will be reporting this conversation to Captain Ayanami."

Staring Asuka took half a step back.

Ritsuko turned to the Azazel officer. "Lieutenant take her back home."

Katrina nodded and took the muted Child away. Outside one of Katrina's squads formed up around them in a protective detail. Once they had gone down the hallway from Ritsuko's office the German-Russian woman spoke. "I told you."

"I..." Asuka glared. "Who does she think she is?" she demanded punching a wall.

"Director of Project E." Katrina reminded. "It's not wise mouth-off at superiors."

Asuka withdrew her fist. "It's not supposed to be this way."

As they got onto an escalator, the solid woman snorted. "So?"

"So?" Asuka turned to the blonde. "I'm a Pilot! I'm the Second Child. I was trained to be the best. I'm not supposed to be pushed around and ignored. I'm not supposed to be outclassed by a test pilot and her little sister!"

"Your insistence to refer to them that way does not change the underlying reality. They are the veteran troops. You are not."

"Only because I wasn't here yet!"

Katrina glared. "That's my point. They have killed Angels. You are an rookie, green, untried. Their training has been grueling and encompassing, you spend the last couple weeks on a cruise."

"That's not my fault!" Asuka wailed.

"Disappointment happens. Deal with it." Katrina's eyes narrowed. "I saw my country collapse and crumble like a wet sandcastle. A whole state gone, just like that. Then I saw the decay grow, and an entire political existence shatter and blow apart. Then came the Second Impact." Katrina chuckled.

"This is different!"

"Yes, you're being a petulant child. My world died. Your world may die too, and I ask: So?" Katrina's eyes hardened.

"I don't get it."

"What does crying solve? What does yelling solve? Pathetic mewling like that makes you a disgrace to the Fatherland." Katrina looked to one of her Sergeants and barked an order to him in Russian.

"You work for Azazel."

"You don't work for the Bundeswehr either."

"That's because they don't have Evangelions," Asuka reminded while the contingent passed through a security station. The Nerv Tactical personnel slightly wary of the Azazel troops.

"Neither do they have nuclear arms." Katrina smirked and turned back to the Sergeant who informed her that their surface transportation was ready. "What do you want Pilot Soryu?"

Asuka opened her mouth, then closed it. She was silent for a few moments. Then when they boarded an elevator she had her answer. "To be the best Evangelion Pilot."

"Is that it?" Katrina tapped her chin. "Then swallow your pride. Become a good little soldier, do everything that these people tell you to do."

Asuka turned to the Russian officer.  
"They control Evangelion. You Pilot at their whim." Katrina's blue eyes twinkled. "Prove them wrong. You think you're better than them. Show them. Be the better soldier. Be the better killer. Be the better Pilot."

"But I am!"  
"Nein," Katrina shook her head. They then stepped out of the elevator, linking up with the squad members that traveled ahead of them. "How many Angels have you killed? Words are cheap. Akagi showed you that."

"So, I need to prove it to them?"

Katrina smirked, the teen sneered but only slightly. "It should be easy. You know your Unit best, you have the best Unit, and you have me."

"Oh?"

"I know how Azazel works, and I can certainly train you better than that fat, bald lunatic and his mute friend."

Crossing a vast wide corridor, Asuka frowned. "What about the other Pilots? Those sisters don't like me."

"That is troubling." Outwardly, Katrina bore a frown that mirrored her charge's. They passed through another security station and entered an underground garage, where their APCs waited. "However, I have a plan. You won't like it, but it has to be done."

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Shinju turned the page on her copy of "Guerrilla Sniper" and read a few paragraphs. After a couple minutes she found her mind slipping from the text and lowered the book.

Sitting on the opposite end of the couch, Rei paused reading and lowered her book: a RAND corporation release called "Mastering the Ultimate High Ground, The Next Steps In the Military Uses of Space." She waited and noticed the slight distress on her clone's face. "Are you having trouble?"

Shinju let a small smile form on her face, and took a few seconds to relish the concern someone else had for her. "Yes, Oneechan."

Rei gave a curt nod. "Long range support is an ill-suited role for Evangelion,"

"It's not that."

The middle Ayanami raised an eyebrow.

Shinju waited until she could express herself. "I'm concerned about the Second Child," she eventually said.

Rei nodded.

"I know you only saw her during sparring today, but what do you think?"

Placing a bookmark in her text, Rei then folded her hands over the closed book. "I think you're correct. Concern is prudent."

Shinju smiled slightly. "She will be trained, and Oneesan will command her. Will that make her a good Pilot?"

"It made you one." Noticing her sister's contented and continued silence Rei searched for another sentence. "And if it doesn't work, Misako-san will not let her Pilot."

Shinju nodded at that, but she was still focused on Rei's first statement. "The Second Child is alone. No family. No friends."

Rei inclined her head and waited for the clone to elaborate.

Shinju's little smile returned. "Thanks, Oneechan!" she exclaimed before picking up her book.

After making sure the conversation would not resume, Rei returned to her own reading. Several silent minutes later, Shinju looked up to the clock below the television and retired to her room.

Knowing that it was merely part of her sister's daily hair care, Rei continued reading. While she understood why her clones had a different hairstyles, she was still relieved that she got the least time-intensive cut to maintain.

Several minutes after that, the silence was broken. Frowning slightly, Rei answered the apartment's intercom. Her displeasure increased markedly as the conversation progressed.

Breaking the connection, Rei placed her book on the kitchen table and waited by the door. There was a knock and the First Child opened the door. Glancing past her visitor she nodded to the Azazel troops standing in the hallway.

"May I come in?" Asuka asked, wondering if the pale girl was being rude or socially stunted. That Rei paused and actually seemed to actually consider the question, pushed Asuka's estimation towards the latter category.

Rei stepped back from the threshold. "Yes." Her eyes briefly went to the barrette-like interface headset clips on Asuka's head.

Entering the apartment, Asuka looked around. It was similar in layout to hers, but a bit larger, and warmly decorated to a shocking degree. The fact that there were any personal touches like photographs, game systems and knickknacks stuck out in Asuka's eyes. From her impression of the Captain and the Fourth, Asuka half-expected the Ayanamis to have been grown from pods.

The door clicked shut behind her; Asuka spun around to see Rei blankly staring at her. For a moment, Asuka glared at those red eyes but then remembered her mission. "Are your sisters around? I..." the redhead faulted. "I have something I need to tell them."

"Misako-san is still at the Geo-Front. Shinju is in her room." Rei pointed to the small hallway off the right side of the living room.

"Thanks," Asuka walked across the dining room and paused. Human touches aside, the apartment had an almost oppressive silence. The redhead felt her confidence begin to slip. "Um... Rei... can we be... friends?"

Rei looked over to her book on the dining room table. "Why?"

Asuka smirked, this was firmer ground for her. "Because it'd be convenient, in lots of ways."

"If I'm ordered to, I will."

"Talk about odd." Asuka muttered under her breath. "Is that a joke?" she asked looking at Rei.

Rei frowned impatiently. "People comment on my sense of humor."

"But yeah... people can't be ordered to be friends and expect it to work?"

Rei tilted her head. "Why not? It's how my family does it."

Looking past Rei at the exit, Asuka nervously chuckled. "Yeah... I get it." She shook her head. _Gott__ im Himmel, even with her "Sense of humor" she's the sanest one; she hasn't bitten me or ordered a hulking madman to beat me._

Turning away from Rei, Asuka let her expression slacken and walked down the little hallway. Knocking on the thin door, she found it sliding open under her palm. Running on oiled tracks the door slipped aside revealing Shinju's room.

Asuka's eye twitched at the adorable assault. The walls were dominated polished-steel-framed, press-glass propaganda posters. Across from the door was one featuring Unit 01 standing with its gun raised as Azazel jets flew in the distance. To the left of that was one with the Prototype and Testtype; to the right were the three Ayanami sisters, the captain in her formal uniform, the Pilots in their plugsuits.

On the left wall was an aerial shot of the Russian aircraft carrier, which looked suspiciously less dirty than it should have been to Asuka's eyes. On the wall opposite that one was an image of Shinju being lifted up by the square-jawed Azazel pilot. He was wearing a dress uniform while she wore a white party dress.

Avoiding the walls Asuka found the furniture even worse. From the dresser, a gaggle of over-dressed over-styled dolls stared at her. A sickeningly-scaled miniature vanity was covered in makeup cases, ribbons, knives and magazines, both fashion and munition.

Finally, sitting on a fluffy ruffled comforter was the Fourth Child; power-blue hair spilled around her in silky pools as she worked a silver hairbrush through the freely flowing strands. Red eyes peeked out from behind the mass of tresses that ran down her face. Her brush stilled as the small girl paused. She then grabbed her hair band, pulled her hair back, and slipped the bowed-band behind her ears.

Face mostly visible, Shinju turned to Asuka and slowly blinked her slightly tinted eyelids expanding and contracting as her long lashes embraced then separated. "You're staring," she observed in an even, quiet voice.

"Err... its just the.... posters," Asuka gave a bit of relief. It was nice to see that the perfect little princess actually was vain, egoless good-girl act to the contrary.

Shinju gave another measured blink. "Yes, we'll have to do another photo-shoot. Now that you're here." A tiny smile formed. "Though we'll have to wait for your Evangelion for those shots."

Cheeks reddening, Asuka glared at the younger girl. "Wait, what?"

Slight smile still present, Shinju tilted her head in innocent confusion.

"Oh," Asuka blinked.

"So, why are you here?" Shinju asked.

Asuka looked down. " I think we got off on the wrong foot."

Shinju cocked an eyebrow.

"I shouldn't have gotten mad at you, you were just following orders." Asuka's eyes narrowed. "Until you bit me."

The clone's eyebrow lowered. "That was a bit enthusiastic of me."

"Enthusiastic." Asuka's skeptical tone was almost as dry as Shinju's original statement. "Do you all have the same broken sense of humor?"

Shinju frowned slightly.

Asuka stared at the identical expression. _It's like they were mass-produced..._

"We will be working together." Shinju stated studying the other girl.

"Yeah, we'll make a good team." Asuka found her confidence. "And you Pilot very well, for someone your age."

Still scanning Asuka, Shinju's little smile returned. "And you're so pretty! I can just eat you up!" With that exclamation her crimson eyes sparkled.

Asuka's eyes widened. "What?" she asked as her hands twitched..

Shinju's open, exuberant expression became tinged with slight confusion. "What shampoo do you use? You smell great! Or is that your soap?"

Taking a step back, Asuka cursed showering after that sparing session. "It's my shampoo. It uses apricot extracts."

"Oh? I use a lilac blend for my hair. Yours must work great, I don't see any split ends."

Asuka almost wished that she had lost all of her luggage. At least then she would have been forced to use Katrina's shampoo, which certainly did not smell... inviting. "I try take care of myself."

Looking away Asuka tried to find something... stabilizing to look at, something that was not cute, grandiose, or upsetting. The silver picture frame did not help. Seeing six staring red eyes was the opposite of what she was looking for; that the Captain was smiling in the picture did not help either. "You like music?" Asuka asked, her gaze shifting to a mini-CD player next to the frame.

Shinju nodded.

"Play an instrument?" Out of the corner of her eye, Asuka caught Shinju's eyes widen and the young girl deeply frown.

"Yes, but its been a while, I haven't played since I... came to Tokyo 3."

Looking back at Shinju, Asuka noted that the girl's expression was back to distant and neutral, but so was her voice. "Yeah, I didn't bring my instrument either. What do you play?"

"Cello."

Imagining the dainty girl playing a hundred and twenty centimeter instrument Asuka snickered. "Sorry, nice instrument What size did you play half, one quarter?" Often a cello would be scaled down, not by half but only slightly, to help musicians with smaller arms play.

Blushing, Shinju looked down.

Asuka grinned, at least someone in this family had emotions.

"Do you play an instrument?"

"Violin back in university." Asuka's hopes that the Fourth Child would rise to the bait were dashed when the young girl simply blinked.

"Oneechan played the violin too," Shinju had never seen Rei open the case, but she had helped move it and a small folder of sheet music into her new room.

"That's... good. Maybe we can all play sometime."

Shinju nodded.

Asuka tapped her chin. "No, that's real good. Add a viola player and we've got a String Quartet. Maybe the Fourth could-"

Shinju flashed a quick glare.

"Sorry, Fifth Child." Asuka winced at the faux-pas, it was all to easy to forget that Nerv had already lost a Pilot. "Well... I'm glad that we talked. I think we'll work good together."

"Oh don't worry, we won't have a choice," Shinju happily said.

"What?"

"If we fail, thermonuclear destruction will be rained down upon us." The young girl's subdued smile had a fierce focus. "Just like yesterday."

"Yeah..." Asuka took a couple steps back.

"See you during training," Shinju smiled warmly.

Looking away from the eager and... anticipatory eyes, Asuka nodded and continued to back out of the room. Once in the corridor, Asuka stepped into the living room. There Rei looked up from her book and silently tracked the redhead.

"Guess I'll see you at training too," Asuka stated.

Rei inclined her head and returned to her reading.

Similarly mute, Asuka left the apartment. The door closed behind her, she leaned on the hallway wall and sighed. "What have I gotten into?"

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"I met the Second Child today," Ritsuko sliced open a fresh cigarette pack.

"How did her medical screening go?" Misako asked leaning back in the office's spare chair. "I know Maya double checked yesterday but that was just for radiation exposure."

Ritsuko tapped the pack. "Didn't do it. She came to complain to me."

Misako rubbed her face. "Little brat. She really needs a session in the Eva-Sim."

"I told her to go to Gendo if she had a problem with your command style."

Misako's eyes lit up and for a moment she seized up, then the clone burst into laughter.

"It shut her up." Ritsuko chuckled. "She's not totally senseless."

Taking a sip of water, Misako shook her head. "It's not that. I mean trying to pull rank and get Gendo in; Kaji was being an ass."

Ritsuko tapped the packet idly. "Yes, typical of him."

"Then he tried to pull some Need to Know garbage. So I called the Commander in." Misako's broad smile revealed her teeth.

"Wow." Ritsuko shook her head. "It's a real good thing Asuka backed out."

Grinning Misako nodded. "Gendo was not happy."

"Well of course, Third Branch's little power play caused a disaster. We could have lost two pilots, an Eva and you."

"Good thing the Americans ignored the UN and brought nukes," Misako shivered.

"So Third Branch, was this really all incompetent posturing on their part?"

Misako sighed. "That's the only reason we got out of him. Kaji could have been a patsy."

"So, what next?"

"Captain Horaki's running down the paperwork going over the shipping records and memos. Security Intelligence and Azazel are picking up the top Third Branch officers."

"You're using Azazel troops?" Ritsuko pursed her lips.

"Do you trust Security Intelligence?" Misako mirrored the doctor's expression.

"You're at least sending men from our Security Intelligence ," Ritsuko observed.

Misako nodded. "I'm afraid Third Branch is a complete write-off."

"On the upside, this'll allow us to move the S2 research to this facility."

The elder Ayanami's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did you know something about Third Branch?"

"Only that their reports were riddled with obfuscation and their experiments were dangerously lacking in rigor."

Mirth replaced suspicion in Misako's eyes. "You're sounding like another Director I know."

Ritsuko chuckled. "Beria's right about one thing S2 engines have an incredibly high energy density. If a prototype test went bad..." the scientist shook her head.

"Thank goodness for Matsushiro."

"Yes, that is the purpose of a Secondary Experimental Facility." Pulling a cigarette out, Ritsuko studied its filter. "How tough do you think Ikari's going to be?"

"Third Branch's petty power play eliminated all of the work we'd done in repairing Nerv's image. Once again, we were unable to effectively sortie and had to be saved though the use of nuclear weapons. Once again, a lot of soldiers died before the Angel could be killed. But this time-" Misako curled her lips in a simulacrum of a smile. "the Angel was only able to attack because Nerv screwed up. How tough do you think Ikari's going to be?"

Flicking her butane lighter, Ritsuko stared at the jetting flame.

"Yes that's about right." Misako's face shifted to a true smile; however it was an expression that clashed with her vegetarian diet.

Ritsuko took a drag. "So, not only do we roll up the incompetents and malcontents , but we also play the part of reformer and inspector."

"It's the best we can do to repair our image and distance ourselves from Third Branch."

"The next Angel?"

Spilling slightly, Misako refilled her glass. "We'll have to be decisive."

"The Second Child?"

"She's the unknown quantity. She has the least real experience and the most Old Nerv training and no New Nerv training. I have some ideas but..."

"But she's the first non-Ayanami pilot." Ritsuko tapped some ash into the belly of her cat-shaped astray.

"Which makes her an important symbol to reduce the nepotism cries." Misako sighed.

"You think she'll be much of a problem?"

"During her first combat experience she disobeyed orders and had to be physically subdued and restrained. Then in the course of normal training she got upset and tried to go over my head." Misako gripped her glass. "It's bad enough that we're putting the fate of the world in the hands of young girls, but an unstable one?"

"You can always ground her."

Misako scoffed. "Well of course. If she keeps this attitude and fails her training, I'll have to. We can't hide her performance. Not with the JSSDF handling the wargames and Azazel doing their physical training."

"We can't keep her out of the cockpit. For one, we could easily need three Evangelions." Ritsuko lit a fresh cigarette from the stub of her old one.

"We can't put a failure in the cockpit either. Just imagine the fallout an incompetent or mutinous Pilot would cause."

"You girls have really spoiled me." Ritsuko shook her head.

Misako smirked. "We can't all be your obedient clones."

"Oh? A subtle hint to lean on the Marduk Institute?" Eyes twinkling, Ritsuko blew a smoke ring.

"I was wondering if it'd be possible to smooth her emotions out actually, but your idea's better."

Ritsuko chuckled. "Challenging, she'd be suspicious if she started taking medication and found her moods changing."

"Then get us another Pilot. That'll also force the Americans to give us one of their Units, and if not... that gives us an excuse to be selective with who we let sortie."

"And First and Second Branches would be on edge, given what's about to happen to the Third Branch."

Misako chuckled.

"Even if you get another pilot, you'll still have to deal with Asuka. What if she doesn't respond to the training? What if she screws up in battle."

"Depending on the screw up we'll either all die in a nuclear fireball or the Third Impact. For minor infractions, there's always a court martial."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "Technically they're not soldiers."

The clone's laugher returned.

"Oh?"

"I talked with the Commander, and he's open to the idea."

"And the Pilots?

"Shinju and Rei won't bat an eye, and you think the Second Child would let that get in the way?"

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Behind his cyclopean visor, Keel Lorenz stared down at the man across from him. "Unacceptable."

Sitting on his own white-lighted dais, Gendo inclined his head. "Why?

"This investigation is disruptive and far too damaging," the man bathed in yellow light intoned.

"I concur." Gendo stated his hands neatly folded atop his desk. "Unfortunately," he glanced at the empty blue seat. "This investigation is the least damaging option."

"You've leveled charges against half of Third Branch's senior officers!" the green representative shouted. "How is that the least damaging?"

"Because it preserves a shred of Nerv's credibility."

"And this matters? Given this committee's full support, Nerv is untouchable," Lorenz dryly remarked.

"Is it?" Gendo's eyes flashed between the empty chair and the green one. "For the second time, weapons prohibited by the UN have been deployed, to great effect."

"It does not matter how the Angels are defeated." Lorenz stated.

"To an extent." Gendo gave a ghost of a smile. "Project E and associated endeavors are quite expensive. The Plan's solvency depends on Nerv's success."

Lorenz chuckled. "The... competition worries you."

"Presuming the work of outside agencies is logical, if Azazel and the US Navy-" Gendo looked to the green representative. "- were the work of this committee... then they are an effort of sheer counter-productivity."

"You dispute the utility of these weapons?"

"I dispute their use," Gendo adjusted his glasses.

"When the Third Angel attacked you had only one functional Evangelion and no Pilots. When the Fifth attacked you had two Pilots but no functional Evangelions. Those would seem ample opportunities to use... insurance."

"The First Child could have fought Sachiel and the Third would have arrived, if not for the insurance. As for Gaghiel, reinforcements were enroute and Adam was secured with a top officer."

"Still relying on nepotism to ensure loyalty?"

"Among other things." Gendo spread his hands. "If not for Third Branch's gross and petty incompetence Unit 02 could have destroyed the Angel. This would have bolstered Nerv's credibility."

"Instead you propose a witch hunt," the crimson representative drawled.

"Examples will be made and those allowed to remain will know the reality of the situation. Their games can not be allowed to risk the Plan. We have gone too far to be undone by the childish tantrums of the ignorant."

"An investigation will tarnish Third Branch's reputation." The French representative smirked.

"Any attempt to salvage Nerv-03 will merely incriminate the rest of Nerv. Third Branch had their chance. They failed."

"And their failure turns to your success." Lorenz frowned.

"Our success." Gendo steepled his fingers. "If the Evangelions are to succeed in their true purpose, they must first succeed as weapons."

"That may be, but we cannot eliminate your competition for you." The green representative stated.

"On that issue, what have you learned of Azazel's intentions?" the crimson Englishman asked.

Behind his hands, Gendo smiled. Their clumsy transparency was comforting in its own way. "As you know they have pursued their own research in metaphysical biology. Given their limitations they focused on smaller timescales. However, it is safe to presume that like Gehirn their focus was on the modulation of AT fields."

"Their destruction using brute force," the Frenchmen's dismissive tone had an undercurrent of curiosity.

"Yes, weaponizing devices used to usher in the Third Impact. Absurd."

A frown crossed Lorenz's face. "The possibility is... under consideration."

"Maskirovka, always maskirovka. Deception, distraction, misdirection. Do not do what your enemy least expects, do what they would never think to expect." Gendo made sure his face was concealed.

"Then why have they not struck?" the emerald American asked.

"The same reason we have not struck them." Gendo lowered his hands. "Continued existence suits our mutual goals. However, we face an enemy that believes they can usurp our Plan at the moment of their choosing."

"Instrumentality can not be achieved by such crude means," Lorenz scoffed.

"Do you suggest I correct their ignorance?"

"Disinformation would be too risky."

Gendo bowed his head.

"However, the Plan will need further exploration," the green representative frowned.

"Especially given Azazel's desire to export their technology," the French representative coughed.

"You knew?" Lorenz glared.

"Their motivations seemed mercenary enough, but in light of their goals..."

The Brit raised an eyebrow. "Proliferation of a dangerous technology."

"Thousands of which can be produced for the cost of one Evangelion. Including delivery systems," green added.

"Would that give them sufficient coverage? An anti-AT field that size-" glancing at Gendo, the Frenchman caught himself.

"They'll have more than enough reserves. The only question is calibration."

Gendo nodded. "Why do you think they are so eager to use their weapons?"

"Every time they detonate an AT field..." The Brit paled, his color shifting to a more pinkish hue.

"Correct, their knowledge grows."

Frown deepening, Lorenz turned to Gendo. "Very well, do whatever it takes to ensure that there are no more detonations."

"That will increase confidence in Nerv, while denying them critical information," the Frenchman nodded.

His visor giving its flat unblinking stare, Lorenz slowly turned away from Gendo. "The rest of this meeting does not concern you," he airily said before the various projections cut out one by one.

Before standing up, Gendo gave the seat to his left a second's glance. Outside the teleconferencing room, he gave a slight grin as he adjusted his gloves. Back in his office, Gendo nodded at Fuyutsuki who was waiting for him. Once the security scan cycled he turned to his old professor. "Your thoughts?"

Fuyutsuki glanced at the monitor that displayed the currently empty teleconference room. "I've always admired their ability to think ten steps ahead."

"A delightful failing." Gendo looked to the photo frame on his desk. "After truth, plans are the first casualty of combat. The problem with chess-players is their belief in complete information. They expected to know the movements, attacks, positions, and limitations of every piece."

Gendo chuckled. "But worst of all. They expect the enemies to have the victory condition that they do."

"Chess is one of Russia's national passions."

"So is poetry, but I don't expect them to defeat us with poems."

"The big question is: what do the Russians want?"

"Close. But not the real question." Gendo chuckled. "Will the Russians interfere with our plans?"

"I hardly think they'd be agreeable to our goals."

"Oh? I'm certain they'd object to the Old Men's Plan."

"Unless they happen to be Seele's catspaw, and exist as a check on our solvency."

"Perhaps, but such a plan has a central failing. Those in on Seele's conspiracy are going against everything Azazel stands for. Such actions would be... counterrevolutionary."

Smirking, Gendo turned to look out the panoramic view. "Azazel exists to destroy the Angels and save humanity. The rank and file believe that and will turn upon any traitors within their organization."

"The same can be said of us."

Gendo looked down at the artificial world spread below him. "No."

"No?" Fuyutsuki carefully asked, wondered if things had.... changed. Ikari had been spending more time with his wife's shadows.

"With the liquidation of Third Branch, the final pieces fall under our control. For now our tasks are complete."

Standing behind Gendo, Fuyutsuki nodded. "What is our move?"

"The Second Child is a potential risk."

"We can use only so many Ayanamis."

"It's not that." Gendo frowned. "It appears Third Branch's training is as scattershot as their logistics."

"We cannot afford another failure in battle."

"Which is why I approved of Captain Ayanami's proposals. I would rather be short a pilot than invite further failure."

"Marduk, then?"

"No, we'll see how she performs. Azazel training and JSSDF wargames will challenge her for once. There is a chance her pride could be directed in a useful direction."

"Understood." The sub-commander frowned. "What of Inspector Kaji?"

"A witness in a trial of global importance? Protective custody is only prudent. A man in his position would have many enemies."

Fuyutsuki smiled. "And it would be our duty to make sure they're found."

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"All hands bury the dead," Commander Oppenheimer shouted as the carrier's crew fell into parade rest. He then glanced at their guests, relieved that they were carrying themselves respectfully.

He then turned back to Captain Groves, who stood off to the side of the row of stands. After the dozen sealed metal caskets were placed foot first on the stands, flags were presented and Geiger counters discretely checked the seals.

Wanting to adjust the tan skirt of her uniform, Asuka stared ahead. As bugling tore at her ears she watched the gigantic gantry a couple kilometers ahead of her. Bolted atop a cargo ship, the entire apparatus looked like the union of several cranes and a skyscraper frame. Six cables, large enough that Asuka could clearly make them out, dove down into the ocean.

As quick prayer washed over her like so many waves she turned her head slightly. On either side were Ayanamis, who seemed much more at ease with their uniforms. Beyond them were Azazel troops, standing in their neat ranks, with their rifles held at their shoulders.

"Firing party, Present Arms." Commander Oppenheimer ordered. The stands were lifted and the caskets slid off and after a silent second hit the water in one simultaneous splash.

Asuka had to keep from grimacing as the bugler started up, but was relieved when the noise was dampened by the firing squad. Their three volleys and the playing of taps concluded a heavy silence came over the ship.

Wondering when they could go, Asuka returned her attention to the salvage ship. She almost sagged when another batch of pallbearers cut through the parade formation. After being placed on the freshly emptied stands, Asuka's interest spiked when she saw the flags being placed on them. The black, red and yellow tricolor was immediately recognizable and wrong.

The redhead frowned. She knew the fleet was international, and should not have been surprised that Germans died, but... without the eagle it was merely the civil flag. She thought the Fatherland called for burial with the Naval Ensign or at least the Bundesdienstflagge.

Her interest grew when Captain Ayanami stepped out from her left side and crisply marched to the side of the stands, next to Groves and Oppenheimer. As the red-eyed woman began to read names it clicked for Asuka.

The Second Child's eyes went from the caskets to the salvage ship. Her unit was not the only thing being raised from the Othello's wreck. Her stomach tightened as the Captain went about her speech. _I didn't even know most of their names. They were just... there. As long as my Unit was working I didn't care and now... I get my Evangelion and they get dumped back in the sea._

Asuka's eyes shifted to see a young seaman with a video camera up to his eye. _At least they'll get... something. Nerv isn't just forgetting them._ She shivered slightly as the ceremony concluded with Taps and gunfire.

Groves motioned and the ship's flags were run back up to full mast and the sailors, marines, and Nerv troops were dismissed.

The crowd broke up with most of the sailors returning to their tasks. Misako stayed with the ship's officers while the Azazel Naval Infantry maintained their protective positions.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that." Once again, Asuka eyeballed the stands.

Shinju nodded, her gross-violation hair swishing around her non-regulation headband. "Death is tragic."

Asuka turned to the pale sisters. "I guess you've done this before?"

Rei stared blankly, but Shinju shook her head. "No, not at sea at least."

"Oh?"  
The First Child's pupils dilated slightly. "The Third Angel, caused much damage."

Asuka frowned and turned to look out over the water. Beyond the crane-ship was the rest of the fleet. "Least they're not that damaged."

Rei looked up the jet contrails in the sky.

"Most of the ships the Angel hit were sunk," Shinju stated.

"Not many bodies were found. Though I'm sure the crews working on the Othello wreck found more than a few," Katrina privately wondered how many of those caskets were merely filled with ballast. Anyone close to the blast would simply have their flesh boiled away and their baked bones scattered about. Those sunk by the Angel, however, could be in a more... intact state. Her countries were not above such theatrics, but the West might quail at such methods.

"Yeah...." A deep winch drew Asuka's attention. A dark shadow formed below the surface and resolved into a humanoid shape. In a churning splash, a titanic head broke the surface.

Rapt, Asuka watched as the crane pulled her unit up by the shoulder pylons. Water poured down from the humanoid figure as it was lifted from the sea. Asuka glanced over, and saw everyone else had their eyes glued to the Evangelion.

"Even defeated it rises," Katrina stated in accented English. The immense sixty meter tall crane dwarfed the warmachine, which limply slouched from its cables. For stability, the Unit's hands were secured behind its back and its legs were tied together at its ankles.

Combined with the cables securing its head the whole apparatus was a macabre marionette, a galling gallows. A couple of armor pieces were missing, revealing corpse-white pulpy material and gashes and cuts crossed the armor sections that remained and one ankle bent oddly while an elbow bent out at an odd angle and in an extra location.

"It'll fight again."

"What of the damage? "

Her chest constricting, Asuka narrowed her eyes. "It can be repaired."

"It looks worse than it is," Misako assured as she approached. "Immediately after battle, a salvage crew sent their robots down. Power was restored and the systems were stabilized. That's why it took so long to raise. They didn't want to move it until they were sure the Evangelion could handle it."

Asuka bit her lip. "But the damage... I didn't even fight."

"The Angel rammed the Othello, obliterating her. Fortunately it's all impact damage. Nothing too difficult to repair."

Stepping towards them Groves chuckled. "There is a symmetry here."

"Oh?"

Groves looked out at the scattered ships. "I'm reminded of another Pacific Fleet that got ambushed. Afterwards three battleships, three cruisers, two destroyers, and three other ships were raised, righted, repaired, and readied for battle.

He sighed. "This time its only an Evangelion and a three submarines that were recovered, but the message is the same. You've been given a second chance. They caught you with your pants down before, don't let it happen again."

Asuka looked up at the burly sailor. "Uh, yes, Sir."

Groves gave a gruff nod. "Good, I'm glad to hear that, Warrant Officer Soryu."

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Panting slightly, Asuka kept her pace up. Three paces ahead of her the pale sisters ran in unison.

"Wow, you're as good as they are," Hikari puffed as she ran alongside.

Asuka smiled slightly, the freckled girl was nice and as a Class Representative seemed to understand authority. "Of course, all Pilots have to be the peak of physical condition."

Hikari chuckled. "Of course, my little sister goes on and on about it."

As they turned the track, Asuka blinked. "Oh?"

"Yeah, Nozomi," Hikari gestured to a brunette that ran ahead of them with the red-eyed girls. "Shirane and her are friends with the Ayanamis. Sis goes on and on about all the great training you Pilots get: guns, knives, hand to hand, simulators, full-on war-games."

Half hearing the other girl, turning the redhead confirmed that the rest of their classmates had cleared out on this half of the track. She wondered how much of that was due to the security cordon, including Katrina who effortlessly ran on her left side, and how much was due to the Ayanamis being... Ayanamis

"Though it only makes sense. You're Pilots. Your training has to be tough."

"We are the best," Asuka smirked as she kept her pace. Her expression flattened when the other pilots began to... sing.

"Krutye parni po vsey stranye, kto svyazan druzhboy s vedeve, takoye bratstvo -- nadyozhnyi shchit, nikto Rossiyu nye pobedit!"

Asuka blinked their voices sounded almost... passionate at the last line. "What the heck?"

"Ah here's the refrain," Katrina smiled.

This time the Anayamis were joined by the bulk of their cordon who bellowed out in time: vedeve -- s nyeba privyet, ultramarinovyi nabok beret, tyelnik s volnoy i more pogon, s nyebom naveki desant obruchon. vedeve, skolko pobyed! iz parashutov byelyi bukyet. radugoiy mirnoy paryat kupola. slava dyesantu! chest i khvala!

Sounding almost... happy the sisters sang the next part by themselves. "v tsentral'nom parke salyut v Moskve, mechtayut parni o vedeve. lyubym oruzh'yem vladyet lyegko, znamya pobyedy glavneye vsego."

"What are they singing?" Asuka asked.

Katrina smiled. "In the central park of Moscow there are salute shots. Guys dream about VDV. It's easy to handle any weapon, skillfully. The Flag of Victory is the most important thing of all."

"Okay...." Confused, Asuka nearly stumbled, but was shocked when the Azazel troopers, once again bellowed out the refrain.  
"VDV - regards from the sky. The ultramarine beret tilted to the side. Telnik with a wave, and a sea of epaulets. The airborne are forever engaged with the sky." Katrina dutifully translated. "VDV, how many victories! A white bouquet of parachutes The canopies float like a peaceful rainbow. Hail the Airborne! Credit and praise!"

Asuka felt her neck spasm.

"Well... it does keep them in good time as they run," Hikari allowed as the group enthusiastically repeated the refrain.

"How often do they do this?" Asuka asked as ahead of them the sisters and their... entourage turned the corner.

Still synchronized, Rei and Shinju sang their lines. "v goryachikh tochkakh, v gorakh, lyesakh. ataku vikhryem vedyot desant , sryvayas livnem vnezapno vniz, i tolko stavka po zhizni zhizn."

Asuka almost stumbled again; from her vantage point she could see the pale girls... smiling.

Hikari shrugged. "They run every day, always singing something."

Smirking, Katrina continued to translate. "In the hot spots, in the mountains, forests. The airborne perform their whirlwind attack. Rushing down suddenly like a downpour And the only stake in your life is your life."  
After enduring another ear-splitting refrain, Asuka sighed. Her relief was short lived when the sisters soft singing started up again.

"Ah you missed the first part," Katrina chuckled. " Though guys across the country. Tied by friendship with the VDV. Such brotherhood is a reliable shield. Nobody would defeat Russia!"  
"Too cute," Hikari laughed.

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "Right... cute."  
"You should see them when they've got their rifles. Pyotr's got their motions set pretty well," Katrina smiled and made sure that Asuka kept up.

"They know Russian already?"

"It's part of their training. Not every Azazel trooper knows Japanese. The higher ups, Pilots, and the Naval Infantry Company do, but that's about it."  
"But why a paratrooper song?" Asuka asked, holding an arm to her side.

"The last Angel to attack Tokyo 3? Project Excelsior?"

Asuka coughed.  
"It is impressive to see them sing. It's hard enough to talk while running," Hikari gasped.

Katrina smirked. "There's a reason cadences are a part of training."

"Right," Asuka gasped as they completed laps. She looked up and saw the Ayanamis pull out water bottles. The redhead glowered, they even drank their water synchronized.

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"I can't believe they made you an officer," Nozomi said as she and her friends sat under a tree in the Eva Pilot's compound.

"She's not an officer," Shirane corrected.

Nozomi blinked. "But... warrant... officer."

Shinju brushed a bit of her hair behind her ear as she carefully laid a line of oil on a milky-white stone.

Shirane narrowed her eyes. "It's a type of non-com, enlisted."

Nozomi sighed. "Isn't that short for non-commissioned officer?"

Leaning on the tree, Rei looked up from her novel.

"Senior enlisted. They don't have a commission, hence the Non-com."

"So they're not officers?"

"Depends on the service. Some, like the US Army have them as essentially junior officers. The Canadian Army on the other hand has them taking up many of the roles of sergeants, more traditional non-coms. And don't get me started on what the British do."

"Fine, I don't care." Nozomi pinched the bridge of her nose. "Still, why did Nerv decide to draft you all? You're already Pilots."

Looking up from her oil-stone, Shinju's lips curled downward and her eyes glistened.

The freckled brunette turned from the pale girl to her older sister who had resumed her bodice-ripper. "Fine. Be that way."

Shirane gave the youngest Horaki a sympathetic pat. "They can't tell us everything."

"I liked it better when they simply said 'It's classified'. This pouting is too much."

"At least she didn't actually start crying, this time." Shirane snickered, before her expression grew serious. "Just think of the timing. Recent events and all."

Nozomi nodded. "Still, why this rank? Why not make them officers?"

Shirane frowned. "Huh... yeah you girls could be whatever rank they wanted to make you."

"Traditionally many militaries give their pilots commissions, but sometimes the number of pilots exceeded the officer pool. The solution was 'Flying sergeants' who did not have the same leadership responsibilities an officer did and could focus exclusively on piloting," Shinju recited as she pulled out a set of slim double-bladed knives.

"Oh," Nozomi stated.

"Huh, I should have thought of that." Tapping her chin, Shirane looked over at the, seemingly, lounging Naval Infantry. "But Igor and Pyotr are lieutenants, aren't you above them?"

Rei frowned. "They're security and training."

Steadily running a blade over the stone, Shinju gave a slight nod.

"Still if you ordered them in battle..." Shirane's joking smile froze when she saw Igor extend his pointer and index finger and extend his arm.

The bearish man laughed and mimed firing a handgun. "Pow! Haha!"

Shirane shook her head. "Okay then... Well, what about the new Pilot?"

Rei turned to a new page on her book. "Different."

Listening to the steady whisper of honing metal, Shinju concentrated on keeping the pressure even and the blade angle fixed.

"What do you think, Shinju?" Nozomi prompted.

Flipping the blade to sharpen the other edge, Shinju paused. "Yes."

Nozomi turned to Shirane. "This is what we've got to deal with."

"My sister's gotten pretty chummy with her," Nozomi offered.

"Oh? Huh... from my brother's griping it sounds like Asuka can out-Hikari Horaki."

"She's not that bossy!"

"Exactly. Asuka's even more bossy."

Shinju held up the blade and carefully ran the tip of her finger perpendicular to the blade. She repeated this process at several locations, gauging the sharpness. She looked up and caught Igor giving an approving nod. Blushing, Shinju cleaned the blade and slipped it into a holster strapped to her thigh. Adjusting her ruffled hem, Shinju picked up the next knife and resumed working.

"Fine, I guess she's bossy." Nozomi rolled her eyes. "It's kind of weird how she always wears those clip things in her hair."

"Her interface headset? Nah, that makes sense. It shows she's ready for battle."

Shinju pursed her lips and ran the blade against the oil-stone.

"It shows she wants to show off to everyone that she's a Pilot," Nozomi groused.

"I think the large Kalashnikov wielding Russians following her accomplish that," Nozomi noted.

Shirane looked into the distance. "True. Azazel is hard to ignore."

Looking in the same direction as the black-haired-girl, Nozomi blinked. Wearing a blue and white horizontal stripped shirt, camouflage pants, boots, a Nerv beret and shooting glasses Asuka strode toward them.

The brunette chuckled, doubtless Shirane's focus was on the rifle slung over the redhead's shoulder and the curved leather magazine pouch on her hip. As the redhead approached her detail spread out, merging with the one guarding the two Ayanamis. Nozomi noted a muscular and scarred blonde amble over to Igor.

"At least there's an upside to these Russians," Asuka smirked as she unslung her rifle.

Shinju briefly looked up to make sure the second child had the gun pointed towards the ground, that the redhead's finger was off the trigger, and confirmed the accessibility of her own sidearm.

"Keep your stock unfolded," Rei noted.

Asuka blinked. "What?"

Shirane nodded. "Yeah, it only folds for storage. Like in a pack, vehicle, or para-drop. If you needed to fire it right now, you'd have to spend a second unfolding the stock."

Asuka coughed. "Well, there's not going to be fighting now..."

"That's never our decision," Rei replied before returning to her book.

Nozomi frowned at the redhead's shooting glasses. "Green? What's with that?"

Asuka pulled off her glasses. "It just worked better than the other colors."

"Green mixes the anti-glare and minimal color distortion of gray glasses with the blue-light restriction and contrast and depth perception heightening of amber lenses," Shinju evenly recalled as she tested the second blade. Frowning at the slight unevenness she returned to the oil-stone.

Asuka blinked. "Uh... yeah."

"Kind of like your purple ones?"

Shinju nodded. "Mine combine vermillion, which is good for highlighting the target against poor choppy backgrounds and gray. Oneechan simply uses vermillion."

"Well, it's not like we can wear these glasses in the plug," Asuka said idly spinning her glasses.

"Visual Control Seven can toggle preset visual tinting between on-off-and target highlight, though the last relies on AI or transmitted targeting data."

Asuka quickly nodded before turning to the Ayanami's friends. They seemed normal.

"So you're from Third Branch?" Shirane asked.

"Yup," Asuka's smile was cut by the other girl's pensive expression.

"It's good that you're getting trained here then," Shirane nodded.

"What?"

"Don't worry, when Shinju got here she was completely harmless, and just look at her now."

Despite herself, Asuka turned and saw the young girl, in a frilly dress, sharpening knives. The small girl looked up and Asuka froze when those red eyes locked onto her. Smiling broadly, Shinju gave a happy wave, causing Asuka's left hand to go down and rub her right thigh, where the wound still itched.

Shrugging, Asuka started to walk away.

"So, your going in to change?" Nozomi asked.

"Yeah, are you gonna come back out?" Shirane skeptically followed up.

Asuka's face reddened. "Well... I lost most of my stuff when the Othello sank."

"Oh? So you don't have any clothes." Shirane's eyes twinkled.

"Well, I was planning on getting some later...."

"Great we can go now!" Nozomi smirked.

"What?"

Nozomi turned to Shinju. "What do you say? You want to go shopping."

Shinju shrugged, but her face held a little smile.

Shirane looked over and saw that Rei had put her book down. "See! This is exuberant for the Ayanamis."

"I'll order the BTR-80s up and running," Katrina shouted from the cluster of Azazel officers.

"Wait... I didn't mean now!" Asuka cried.

"What's wrong with now? Not like we're doing anything else." Shirane stood up and stretched.

"I've still got a gun!"

"Yes, Warrant Officer Soryu, you do."

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Shinju lowered her arms. "You don't like it."

Staring at the... thing in the small girl's hands, Asuka took a half step back.

Turning the object around, Shinju looked at its face. "But it's so cute... it's so... you." She lifted her arms holding the redheaded doll up to Asuka's face.

The redhead screamed and lurched back. "No! No! Get it away!" Shaking, Asuka averted her gaze while regretting letting Katrina carry her rifle.

Shinju frowned slightly. "Girls like dolls."

Nozomi looked between the twitching Pilot and the... cute Pilot. "Not all girls."

Turning to face Nozomi, Shinju tilted her head. "Really?" Confusion colored her pale face.

"Yeah... your sisters don't like dolls," Nozomi clarified.

"Oneechan and Oneesan are older. At thirteen, Soryu is younger."

"Huh," Shirane put down the Joint Strike Fighter kit box she was holding. "So, your thinking was that Asuka would be just young enough to appreciate a doll that looks like her. Not that I'm not impressed that you managed to find one, but really?"

Shinju looked at the doll. "There's some facial resemblance, but the hairstyle is too long."

"You picked a redheaded doll with blue eyes," Nozomi dryly remarked.

"I was looking for something that I knew Asuka would like."

"I don't like dolls," Asuka glared.

"Just be glad its not a month from now." Shirane noted as she rooted among the model plane boxes.

Her eyes fixated on the doll, Asuka felt her stomach knot at that statement. "Why?"

"That's when the figurines come out. Kotobukiya Hobby has a whole bunch of 1/7 scale Pilot and 1/200 scale Evangelion figures coming out next month."

Nozomi sighed. "I told you, my sister's already got your wish list."

Shirane spun around and hugged the freckled girl. "You're the greatest!"

"And you two are the... normal ones." Asuka turned back. "Gah! Get that thing out of my face!" she yelled batting the doll away.

"But.... it's... cute." Shinju whispered, lowering her head.

"What are you doing?" Shirane asked.

"Princess over here was shoving that doll in my face." Feeling her back tingle Asuka turned around and saw Rei standing behind her, carrying an armload from the bookstore next door. "Genetics? Were they out of trashy romance novels?"

Rei narrowed her eyes.

"You're making Shinju cry," Nozomi said.

Asuka glared. "Really? Looks like she's just moping to me. Seems to me that she's been coddled."

Looking out through her long bangs Shinju whimpered slightly.

"I don't like dolls," Asuka stated.

"How about clothes? You like those?" Shirane dryly asked.

Asuka eyed the black-haired girl, and the military model boxes she held. "Yeah, of course."

"Then you're done here," Rei stated.

Shinju gave a slow nod as she placed the redheaded doll back onto a display rack.

"The clothing store's not too far away," Shirane said as she and Nozomi walked to the register.

The Ayanamis followed, leaving Asuka seemingly alone. "Awfully prickly today," a deep feminine voice said from behind.

"Yeah, well I really don't like dolls. They're... creepy, Katrina. All dead and not... real." Asuka gave the redheaded doll a hateful glance before walking after the other girls.

"You certainly showed that you won't let yourself be pushed around." Katrina said before radioing the rest of her team that they were moving stores.

Asuka smirked. "That I did."

"Yes, that prepubescent preteen knows that you won't be pushed around by the likes of her."

"I'm only a year and a half older than her." Asuka raised an eyebrow. "And besides, I don't want a knife in my back."

"Or a shovel to the gut." Katrina added as they crossed the mall atrium.

"Right." Asuka looked up and saw a few Azazel agents in battle dress on the higher floors, overlooking the atrium. Her gaze leveled and she saw more of them moving around the hallways that branched off the central room. A few black-suited Section 2 agents were further back.

Asuka frowned. Before... that would be the most security she would expect Compared to the mass of rifle-bearing Russian soldiers they seemed vestigial and impotent. Entering into the clothing store, Asuka froze.

"There you are! Maybe you can convince Shinju to try it on." Shirane held up a dress.

Memory flickering, Asuka started at the collection of white ruffles, purple ribbons and layers of black silk. "Err... you think she's going to wear that."

"Don't you think it's totally Shinju?"

Asuka swallowed. "Yeah, it is."

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Standing in the upper deck of the backup Command Center, General Ishikari looked down on the giant holographic display. "How's the new Pilot going?"

"Going through some basic motions." Major Osumi leaned into the microphone at his station. "Warrant Soryu, proceed to rally point Seven." The JSSDF officer muted it and turned back to the general. "Okay enough. We haven't done much beyond some basics PT duty. She can operate it at least."

Ishikari nodded. "Doctor, any problems running three Evangelions?"

"No, Sir. The Magi can handle the simulation load just fine." Ritsuko did not look up from her terminal.

"Unit 02's moving a bit sluggishly."

"It's still being repaired, or the Pilot needs more experience," Ritsuko smirked slightly.

Misako frowned slightly, but the new pilot could synchronize. _At least Third Branch could manage that much. Now just to finish cleaning up their mess_, she thought grimly.

"Second, how are your visuals?" Ritsuko asked

"Not bad, not bad," Asuka moved her Eva's head, seeing the rolling hills scroll past her. Icons appeared over the other two Evangelions and Asuka started lumbering towards them.

"Didn't Third Branch have a simulator?" Shinju flatly asked.

Asuka glared at the albino-bearing panel projected onto her screens; she wondered if she was paranoid or if there was something to the Fourth's tone. "Yes, but ours just had the plug go into a simulation body."

"That explains the lack of fidelity," Ritsuko transmitted.

"Not everyone has the skill to wire an Evangelion dummy system," Osumi chuckled. "Now Pilots, we've got some gunnery Second Branch and the US Navy are shipping in the next batch of weapons."

"Loading Iowa type guns," Maya stated. A loaded rack the size of an office building formed into existence. On it Four Evangelion-scaled over-under, double barreled, firearms gleamed.

"Those look... primitive," Asuka muttered. There was no magazine feed and they bore a strong resemblance to a break-action hunting shotgun, only with a twenty meter barrel length.

"Just be glad they're not muzzle-loading," Misako cut in.

"They're based on the 16"/50 caliber Mark 7 guns the US Navy pulled off their mothballed battleships. They were the only big guns in good enough condition." Osumi briefly pondered the irony. Seventy-year old weapons designed and used to destroy the Japanese military were now in the hands of... He shook his head. "We'll start getting you used to the kick of these weapons. Proper foot placement is very important. These things could knock back a fifty-thousand ton battleship."

"Each of you take the weapon that matches your Pilot Number," Ritsuko ordered.

Unit 01 strode forward and picked up one of the guns. Careful to keep her finger off the trigger and point the weapon away, Shinju flicked the lever atop the gun. Via a heads-up cutaway display, she saw the breech blocks revolve to unlocked position and retract, the hydraulic locking pins release, and the entire barrel assembly rotate downward on a gigantic hinge shaft.

She flipped the gun closed and was relieved at how fluid the action sealing was. Repeating the process she got a feel for how responsive it took, and wondered how representative the simulation was.

Finally she held the action open and peered down the cavernous barrels. Rifling spiraled down the deep bore length. She closed the action and looked at the side. Stenciled in meter-high letters on the stock was: BB-64 "Wisky".

"Why aren't we matching Evangelion Number?" Asuka asked looking at her weapon: BB-62 "Big J".

"Because The four Iowa ships were BB-61 to 64." Ritsuko sniffed. "Though it's really just a PR coup. I'd doubt the barrels came from the exact ships they said they did, especially when you consider all the spare parts."

Rei picked up her weapon and gave a thin smile at its name: :The Big Stick". Unlike the stubby, blunderbuss-like Little David, the weapon had a sweeping elegance and mass.

"Have you no romance?" General Ishikari laughed.

"They can call the guns whatever they want," Ritsuko sighed. "This is all a stopgap, until the UN decides we need to lob even bigger shells even faster."

Asuka eyed the lone Iowa-rifle. Despite being a computer simulation of an inanimate object, the third gun, "Mighty Mo", looked quite forlorn. "Yeah, but we don't have four Pilots."

"That situation is being addressed, Warrant," Ritsuko nearly snapped.

"Err... right." Asuka then went to the ammunition case. The twenty shells in their neat rows appeared innocuous enough, until she realized that it was the size of a bus. Picking up one of the gleaming brass cases and steel bullets she gave a slight whistle. Longer than her Unit's hand it looked like an elephant-gun cartridge. The half-meter diameter brass casing itself was three meters long.

Asuka could see this data on her HUD, but more impactful was that the casing was thicker than one of her Unit's fingers and ran from her wrist to the Eva's second knuckle where it necked down to the pointed bullet itself, which jutted out beyond her digits by another knuckle spacing.

The redhead stared as the misleadingly skinny-looking shell that dominated her palm. She was used to holding things that were out of scale with an Evangelion, but for the first time she held something that made her feel... small. It was as if the ammunition was too big for her Unit.

"That's a Mark 9 shell. The warheads being largely 'off the shelf', the breakthrough was combining the propellant and the payload. Each one contains nearly seven hundred pounds of smokeless powder and lobs a shell weighting up to 2700 lbs." Osumi stated.

"Big," Asuka idly noted.

"There's bigger, the Little David fires a shell over twice the diameter at 36 in, 914 mm. It lobs a 3700 lb shell."

"Wow... that's big."

"Now, your training rounds are merely filled with a ton of high explosives. In battle you'll use N2 or nuclear warheads," Ritsuko smiled at the feed from Asuka's plug.

The redhead's eyes widened. "We're going to fire nukes, from artillery? Isn't that... insane?"

"Not really, nuclear artillery is a half century old technology," Ritsuko sighed.

"Indeed. Even firing them out that gun of yours is an old idea. The W23 was built in the early sixties, though that bomb was only 20 kilotons." Osumi's chuckle had a nervous undertone.

Misako cut in. "But we anticipate you using the N2 warheads. Those bridge the tactical gap between an Azazel strike and a knife fight."

"But we'll still have nuclear weapons?"

"Just in case. Most of the time an N2 is enough." Ritsuko paused. "Look, only two weapons can kill an Angel. You might as well have both, and you should definitely be trained in how to use and survive both."

"Now today we're going to work on basic gunnery and ergonomics here. Fortunately, it's not too difficult to manufacture new grips. We can also learn what kind of stock is best." Osumi stated.

"And possibly retrofitting to a different action," Ritsuko said with a half-concealed sigh.

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Looking up from his desk, General Yubari nodded to the younger general. "How was today's training?"

"Nerv's still running them through some synchronization experiments, or something, but I felt you'd want a report right away." Ishikari sat down in a chair and stretched slightly. "The Ayanamis preformed as expected."

Yubari chuckled. "Of course they did."

"Warrant Officer Soryu on the other hand...."

"Ah, disobedient?"

The middle-aged man shook his head and pulled a slim report out of his steel briefcase.

Yubari glanced at the dozen or so papers that plopped onto his desk. The document had the standard triple representation. On the left was the half fig-leaf, partially obscured and staggered Nerv lettering, and motto of: "God's in His Heaven, All's Right With the World." On the right bearing the word Azazel, a stylized spear cleaved a cleaved a shield. Bellow, was: "Each Man is a God, Each Man is Free."

Centrally and contrasting with the two crimson logos was the Japanese Strategic Self Defense Forces. On a field of blue, a winged, golden parachute was above a matching set of olive branches and below Rising Sun flag and JSSDF in white letters.

"She'll take orders, but she's got to unlearn a lot of habits." Ishikari shrugged.

"Third Branch trained her."

Ishikari nodded.

"Ah, that kind of training."

"Yes, Rei had only done activation tests and Shinju was almost a complete blank slate. Really, they were nearly ideal."

"Yes." Yubari skimmed the report. Ishikari had noted as much, though had used slightly more colorful language, especially in reference to Third Branch, and why not. They were already going to take the fall, why not add a bit more. "Nerv made sure they _could_ pilot Eva, and we make sure they know what do with the damn things ."

"And Azazel hones their bodies outside of Eva. Not a bad compromise."

"Especially at the mere cost of subsidizing Russia's entire defense sector."

Mock surprise graced Ishikari's face. "But Sir, UN funding is only supposed to cover costs directly related to Azazel."

"Handy how the entirety of Russia's strategic procurement and development falls under Azazel's purview."

"Still, less corrupt than Nerv."

Yubari gave a fatalistic shrug. "So it goes"

"With Soryu, she has the potential.  
"I would certainly hope so, given she Pilots the most expensive weapon devised by man." Yubari looked at the hastily written report. "Is she ready?"

Ishikari shook his head. "But when has that stopped us? Remember Shinju's first battle? We don't have very much margin here."

"We have three functional Evangelions, two proven Pilots, one rookie Pilot, and enough strategic weapons to ensure that while we may lose the enemy certainly won't win."

"Yes, but as the last battle shows, there's not much in between an Evangelion strike and a nuclear strike."

"Blame AT fields. We can either erode them using an Eva's field or brute force 'em. We should be happy that Nerv figured out how to replicate the enemy's abilities." The younger general shared a meaningful glance with the elder. "Can you imagine fighting this war without Evas?"

"Hence our research in combined arms. Speaking of that. How did the Iowa guns fare?"

"The _simulations_ worked fine. I'm not certain how adequately that'll prepare them for the real thing."

"You sound like Director Beria." Yubari flashed a quick smile.

"Real world testing is the best."

Yubari leaned back. "And it's good that the Americans hung onto those guns for so long. Though there's something... odd about us using them."

"The ships were only decommissioned two decades ago. The guns have been in a ready state for the majority of their existence." Ishikari gently corrected. "There were even plans to make them part of the UN fleet."

"What fleet? With JMSDF, the Russians, the Americans, the Brits, and the French pulling out, there's not much left."

"I think Brazil and Australia still have some ships."

Yubari shook his head. "Non-nuclear powers. Everyone with nukes is pulling in their forces and readying their weapons."

"Can you blame them? People are wondering if the Angels will keep attacking Japan, especially after the last battle."

"A fortress is useful only if the enemy has to attack it."

"Yes." Ishikari cleared his throat. "How do you think General Abukuma is doing?"

"The proposal is interesting. It's only a supplementary system, but it could fill that gap of ours," Yubari allowed.

"Yes but Nippon Heavy Industry Solidarity is involved. You think they can cut it?"

"They're not the primary contractor this time, and it's not like they're the only second stringer involved."

"I'm not sure about that. Westinghouse and Antonov are doing quite well, but Fairchild barely survived the post Second Impact defense buildup and Austin Advanced Technology only has prototypes."

"Well, we've only now just gotten the first mass production Evangelion. Hopefully this group can give us more flexibility."

"And put a weapons system under our full control."

Yubari raised an eyebrow. "Yes, that is a factor."

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As the plug drained Asuka leaned back and absently massaged her right shoulder. Compared to the various AT field tests the gunnery exercises were a godsend. Frustration was preferable to boredom. Her memories of that gun firing were cut off as the main plug hatch opened and a support crane grabbed the cockpit module and raised it out of the plug tube.

Looking over, the redhead paled. On the catwalk below her, the youngest Ayanami blandly tracked Asuka's movements. The second the cockpit was secured, Asuka jumped up and grabbed the catwalk's railing for balance.

Impassively staring, Shinju stood in front of her. Asuka looked past the lavender-plug-suited girl to Unit 01. The purple Evangelion bore a pair of halos stenciled on the side of its head and had a large jump-patch on it's shoulder pylon. Hearing no motion, Asuka slowly, reluctantly turned back to the younger Pilot.

Asuka tensed and Shinju sprung forward. The tiny girl nearly tackled the redhead and used a bear-hug to pin Asuka's arms to her sides. "You were adequate today!"

Relaxing a bit, Asuka wondered why she had to be the only Pilot with any social graces "Uh... I'm a Pilot. We're the best."

Quickly pulling her arms back, Shinju gave Asuka a critical eye. "Yes," she said before spinning on her heel and walking back down the catwalk.

Noticing the suspiciously shaped bulge on the small of the fourth child's back, Asuka blinked and ran up. It was mostly hidden by the thick fall of LCL-soaked hair. Getting a closer look, Asuka boggled at the rounded vaguely-L-shaped water-tight pouch. It had a set of quick release buttons and another, thinner sealed compartment that ran the long side of the L.

Shinju stopped and looked over her shoulder. "I don't wear it on my back when piloting. There's a clip on the right side of the seat."

"A handgun? In an Evangelion?"

"Pilots carry sidearms." Shinju continued walking.

Asuka inhaled. They had already been drafted and had just practiced shooting nuclear naval artillery. "Fine, but isn't that a bit weak?"

Joining them at the junction of Unit 00's catwalk and Asuka and Shinju's, Rei fell into step next to her sister. "The left side of the seat has a sealed compartment containing a survival kit, including a compact carbine," the middle sister stated.

"Really?"

"You are using the new plug design. Weren't you paying attention when they were briefing you?"

Asuka froze, for a moment she could not tell which sister had spoken. The undercurrent of disapproval made her think it was Rei, but, looking between the two heads of blue hair, Asuka could not be sure. "It sounded... all the same."

"We're an experimental combat unit. We might just have to eject in an unfriendly area. But don't worry our Naval Infantry really know how to run an SERE module!" Shinju brightly said before they passed through a set of armored doors that sealed off the Evangelion cages.

Asuka frowned. This time she could tell who was speaking, but... "SERE?"

"Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape." Rei clarified, with a trace of disappointment.

"Oh." Asuka followed the sisters into the locker room. "So survival stuff if we get stuck in... hostile territory."

Stripping off her sidearm, Rei went to her locker. "Yes," she stated as she opened the case, discharged the magazine, ejected the chambered round, caught it, and worked the action. After inspecting the weapon, she then loaded the magazine, racked the slide, ejected the magazine, topped it off using the spare bullet, reinserted the magazine, and then set the safety.

Blinking Asuka turned to see Shinju mirroring her sister's actions. "So... I heard they're going to have the trials tomorrow. What do you think will happen?"

"They'll all be killed," Shinju absently shrugged before stripping out of her plug suit. Her dripping hair hung around her like a cloak.

Asuka glared at the naked pre-teen. "What?"

"Treason," the girl innocently said as she walked to the shower stalls, shadowed by an equally nude Rei.

"It's not that simple!" Asuka cried out, but the two sisters seemed to ignore her as they briskly and efficiently scrubbed the LCL off their bodies. The synchronization broke and Asuka laughed. Unlike "Oneechan" Nerv's pretty princess spent time on her tresses. By the time Rei had left the shower stall, dried herself, and was getting dressed, Shinju had only started putting in the conditioner.

The redhead watched as Shinju finished washing her hair and returned to her locker and put on a set of underwear edge in little bows and slipped into a confection of ruffles and bows that appeared to have started life as a romper. "You should clean yourself too," Shinju stated, not pausing as she used her silver hairbrush.

Asuka's eyes darted between the long steady strokes of Shinju's arm, and Rei's... idle expression. "Err- Right." Peeling out of her plug suit Asuka backed to the shower. She could understand Rei's impassive stare, but what kind of girl let someone else watch them shower?

Finishing her brushing, Shinju gave a tiny smile at her reflection, slipped on her headband and straightened out the vast array of bows that adorned her body. Slipping on a pair of shiny lavender Mary Jane heels and her sidearm, Shinju skipped over to her sister. "Ready Oneechan!"

Looking the clone over, Rei nodded and took her hand and lead her out the locker room. They had an appointment with Dr Ritsuko and time-permitting a meeting with the Commander.

Wrapping a towel around herself, Asuka walked out of the shower stalls and sighed. At least being alone she did not have to worry about crazy sisters.

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On the screen nearly a dozen figures stooped, most had a mix of shock and slumped grief, while two roiled with ill-contained anger. "The verdict is guilty!" a deep contralto voice cried. "The charge is treason. Not just against Nerv, but against all of humanity," her voice growing more sharp, the scene shifted to showing the badly mangled and now disbanded UN Pacific fleet. "In their quest for power, these petty insects betrayed their sacred oaths and this is the cost of their... decadence," the announcer savored the last word drawing it out.

"The nuclear fires, the hundreds of dead sailors, the near loss of an Evangelion all laid at their feet." The display now showed a court room. Starkly lit, its deep wood paneling and almost cramped quarters gave a claustrophobic sense. At the defense table, short-haired blond man with a Nerv commander rank glared at an ill-shaven man leaning in the witness box.

"The orders were clear, the needs of our soldiers, our sons, our daughters would become secondary to... political maneuvering," the announcer spat the last words. "Some denied critical reforms, some cut vital equipment in order to deepen their own pockets. Their crimes are unforgivable! Weapons of global import were sabotaged. Yes, look at these men!"

The scene cut back to the Third Branch official. Their stoops had reduced, due to their hands being bound behind their backs. "These are the faces of traitors, of wreckers, of saboteurs! They thought they were enriching themselves, they thought they were increasing their own power."

The announcer gave a thick chuckle. "In reality they were helping the Angels. These quislings are no better than spies. Because of them humanity was weakened! Because of them critical material, critical manpower, critical men were spent."

"The battle was won, but it was in spite of these seditious insects. Having betrayed the most important of trusts they cannot be trusted with anything. Punishment must be taken; their victims must be compensated; the world must see our resolve." Once again the scene shifted, it now featured a trio of the stooped men. Behind them lay a wall of freshly-hewn logs.

The voice-offer stopped and in the sudden silence a pair of men in tan Nerv tactical uniforms offered cigarettes and hoods to the figures. Two accepted the latter while eschewing the former. The former commander took the reverse. Taking a few drags he straightened himself and squared his shoulders.

After the two Nerv officers finished their work, the camera pulled back revealing nine riflemen, their weapons already rising. "Let every Nation, every human, every Angel know, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe," -as she spoke her voice rose in a triumphant crescendo, "-in order to _assure_ the survival of the human race." Her statement was punctuated by a volley from the rifles.

Wearing a the black long skirt and matching red-trimmed jacket of a Nerv tactical dress uniform, a crimson-eyed officer strode towards the bleeding, prone figures. Coldly, precisely she drew her sidearm and placed a single shot, unnecessarily in two cases, into each forehead.

The Nerv officer froze in mid-stride, video paused.

"And this is playing before movies and in news reports?" Beria chuckled and took a sip of his tea. "Nothing like the deaths of billions and a existential crisis to force the west to abandon their decadent mewling and show some backbone."

Igor leaned back, his chair worryingly creaking. "I am amused at her courtesy," he smoothly said in cultured Russian.

"Oh?" Admiral Sudoplatov looked across the plain metal table.

"She shot the commander first, Sir."

Captain Sakharov laughed. "So, she is a courteous one."

"Yes, Commander Bothe knew how to die." Pyotr shook his head. "Shame so few Germans seem to remember that."

"Oh?" Katrina's face broke into a broad smile. "Perhaps, that's because we kept killing those that knew how to die."

Sudoplatov gave a cold smile. "It would seem that Nerv has found their stride."

Beria refilled his cup. "No one ever underestimated Ikari's ruthlessness," the engineer said as he put a touch of sugar in his tea. "What he has now is the capital to pursue his agenda."

"Much like the Tokyo 3 reforms," Igor nodded.

"Reform is such a convenient cover for consolidation," Katrina laughed.

"Still, Third Branch's incompetence is real. Even Ikari would not fake that debacle. However, he is taking advantage of the situation." Sudoplatov nodded.

"It is not surprising that Third Branch would be such a mess. Nerv's greatest failing is their inability to bridge the gap between proof-of-concept-prototype and something a soldier can use." Beria leaned back. "One must remember that Director Akagi is the best that Nerv has. Therefore every other scientist they have is worse."

"Such is the problem when a research organization takes on the airs of a combat unit." Sudoplatov chuckled.

"Indeed. It is no coincidence that the Reorganization merely augmented Nerv's tactical, strategic, and procurement branches. The core science, such as it is, remains proprietary." Beria looked up at the ceiling. "Even this airbase and our forces serve to strengthen the defense and the position of Nerv."

"Yes, our very own Captain Zel'dovich, is protecting Tokyo 3 airspace right now," Captain Sakharov said.

"Which is good. Russia can be the hero, the responsible one. The rigorous one. Let Nerv do the fancy gadgets, we will do the yeomen's work and ensure that humanity does not die. As with the Great Patriotic war, we will bear the greatest cost." Beria stated.

"Unless the Americans get there first," Sakharov nettled.

"It was their fleet, let them save Nerv. Besides, they needed four bombs."

"However, the arrangement is not without its own risks for Nerv." Sudoplatov looked at the Naval Infantry.

Katrina cleared her throat. "Yes, the second child clearly is the weak link. She is an outsider with an attachment to Third Branch. Then add in all the retraining required to get her to current New Nerv standards."

"How has she taken the executions?"

"Distantly. Conveniently, intentionally I'm sure, she had no personal relationship with any of the traitors, and she has started to blame them for what happened to her Eva."

"It was their fault," Igor stated.

"While not necessary it is... cleaner to execute actual traitors when the need arises." Beria sardonically said.

"Yes, she's uncomfortable with them needing to die, but it should be a good learning experience. The Ayanamis have a much better handle on death than she does."

This time Admiral Sudoplatov's smile reached his eyes and grew wistful. "They do have greater personal experience."

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Adjacent to the lobby with its sandbag and machine gun accents was a lounge area. Off to one side was a bar and one set of doors lead to a smallish exercise room. Frowning at the room full of laughing, sweaty Russians, Asuka stopped. Many of the men turned and several gave waves and quick salutes.

The redhead sighed and turned away, re-crossing the lounge she caught a flash of crimson. She walked up and saw Rei book in hand, staring directly at her.

"Uh... you... wanted me?" Asuka hesitantly asked as her arm slid around to her back. Her eyes darted to the figure on Rei's side.

For a few silent seconds, Rei tracked the other Pilot's motion. "No," she eventually replied looking down at the cover of her Mark 9 Iowa-system technical manual.

Asuka clenched her fist. "Then don't stare at me!"

Blinking her eyes open, Shinju lifted her head off of Rei's side. "Oneechan?" she asked in a bare whisper.

Staring at the girl, Asuka noted her dress. Unlike herself and the First Child, the Fourth Child had a lacy and ruffled version of her white and blue physical-training clothes, complete with an almost nauseatingly effeminate jumper.

"I'm sorry did I wake Nerv's precious Princess?"  
Brushing some of her bangs out of her face, Shinju looked up at Asuka. "Yes."

"Great, now you're being sarcastic."

After straightening her torso and legs, Shinju pouted. "No."

With deliberate slowness, Rei picked up her book and resumed reading.

"We're supposed to be a team!"

"We are," Rei replied.

"Ordering us to be a team doesn't count," Asuka snapped, ignoring Rei's flash of irritation. "We have to act like a team."

"There was the Eva-Sim," Shinju stated as she nestled back down, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"That's not enough, there's more to being a team than training together."

"Combat?" Shinju asked.

"She does lack that experience," Rei said with a hint of levity.

"Just wait until the next Angel." Asuka took a couple steps to the side, she wanted to take a seat, but she also wanted to leave to forget about the creepy sisters.

"Yes, Unit 02 will be properly equipped, this time," Rei noted.

Asuka's eyes narrowed. "Yes... good thing it's nearly fully repaired."

"The Unit will be combat ready," Rei noted, flipping to a new page.

"Oh, what's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't think Nerv will just dump someone into a plug and send them into battle?" Shinju's deadpan immediately brightened after her question. "So it's vital that you do your best and be the best! I'm sure you can do it."

Muttering under her breath about sarcastic brats, Asuka simply stared at the ruffled little girl. "Anyway I passed those," Asuka smirked.

"No. Today was merely to see how much damage Third Branch did to you. All today proved was that you could synchronize, take orders, and shoot. " Shinju shifted so she was curled into more of a curled position. "It's a good thing you cleared them, now the Generals can add you to the real combat training."

"In the simulator, they had me dropped from a plane."

"A real war-game would have had you drop into battle, not a gunnery range, and a simulator drop is very different from the real thing."

"This isn't at all like what Third Branch did." Asuka looked at the pale sisters and winced. "I didn't mean it that way..."

"Good." Rei did not look up from her book.

"I don't.... Did they have to be executed? I mean the Captain..."

"They're the reason so many people died. They're why your Evangelion could not fight." Shinju wrapped her arms around Rei. "Why are you defending them?"

"Fine, they screwed up. Big time. Does that mean they should die?

"Yes." Rei and Shinju echoed.

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Fretfully, looking at her apartment door, Asuka paced. "How long does it take to use an elevator?" Chewing her lip she glanced at her bedroom. She'd already straightened her hair and face but was worried... "The second I start to change he'll knock on the door," she muttered. "It had been one of those weeks." The simulator exercises had gotten progressively more complicated and the actual training deployments were only slightly less involved.

After a few indecisive seconds she started walking towards her bedroom. There was a knock. A vicious, victorious smile crossed her face as she spun around and ran to the door.

"Ah hah!" she cried throwing the door open.

"Gah?" Kaji blinked and stumbled back, almost hitting one of the chuckling Russian guards.

Asuka's eyes narrowed. "What took you?"

"The trials only ended two days ago. They only just let me out of... protective custody this morning," Kaji's voice was dry.

"Not that. The Russians said you had gotten in over ten minutes ago."

"Ah." Rubbing his cheek, Kaji awkwardly laughed. "The Captain intercepted me."

"Oh? Did you hit on her?"

Noting the sidearm on Asuka's hip, Kaji coughed. "Of course not. She's not my type."

"I don't think that Ice-Queen's anyone's type," Asuka grumbled, stepping back. She glanced at the Azazel sergeant. "Thanks Vasiliy, I can handle this here,"

Kaji watched the Naval Infantry salute and saunter off. "You can order them around?" he asked, stepping into her apartment.

Asuka shrugged. "They work for Katrina; Katrina works for me."

"Don't let the power get to your head." Kaji's chuckle died when saw the redhead's cross expression.

"I don't want it. I don't want them." Asuka stomped into the living room. "We wouldn't be in this mess if Nerv could do its job! The only reason the Russians are even here is because Ikari didn't kill the first angel."

"It's not that simple," Kaji noted. "After the N2 went off, JSSDF decided to try a bigger bomb. Nerv never got the chance."

"And if we did?" Asuka slumped on a cream-colored leather couch. "What then? I was in Germany with Unit 02. Our Perfect Princess was still in a daycare somewhere and the mysterious Third Child had just gotten killed." Asuka had removed her sidearm and started field stripping the weapon as she talked. "What does that leave? The Test Pilot and her buggy Prototype. An Eva that wouldn't be combat capable for two more Angels. What was Nerv supposed to do? What could Nerv do?"

Kaji sighed and sat down across from her.

Asuka frowned and shifted her seat so her gun was pointed away from him.

"Rei would have been put in Unit 01, I guess." Kaji coughed. "Only Pilot. Only Eva."

"Right. It's still a mess. How come when Nerv HQ screws up a battle they get a slap on the wrist, but we get people lined up and shot?"

"You heard about the second battle?"

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "It's not exactly a secret that Captain Ayanami froze-up and one of the Generals had to relieve her, but things are going great for her," the redhead spat.

"So you saw the video."

"Of course. It's all in the news. Stirring music of Nerv cleaning up its act and traitors being punished."

"Well... I was there too. Third Branch really was a mess."

"And why didn't you do anything?"

Kaji's bitter laughter lasted for the better part of a minute. "Oh my... what do you think happened? The show trials, the executions, that was all _because_ I did something! I was the one that testified against them. I showed the court where the evidence was."

Asuka narrowed her eyes and finished reassembling her gun.

"I'm a Nerv Inspector, uncovering these things is my job."

Hitting her handgun's release, the slide shot forward. "So you're a spy?"

Kaji coughed. "No, no... nothing like that. I mean it's not like I kept my job hidden."

"So Third Branch wasn't just treasonous, they were incompetent too?"

Kaji blinked. Did she have to ask?

"They knew you were a Nerv Inspector. They had to know you were reporting on them."

"They sent an Evangelion without aquatic gear across two oceans," Kaji dryly reminded. "There's a reason people joke about Nerv's corruption."

"And now you're fixing it?" Asuka holstered her gun.

"Their screw-up almost got you killed. You're only alive because of the Captain's paranoia. I couldn't let them get away with that." Kaji assured, almost convincing himself.

"Awwww? Really?" Asuka grinned. "I knew you cared for me!"

"Well... as a Pilot."

Asuka crossed her arms over her chest.

"What?"

"You're thinking about the Captain aren't you?

Kaji sighed. "I told you, she's not my type."

"You just like the challenge then."

"You're not my type either."

The redhead narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips, coincidentally near her holster.

"So, how do you like your training?"

"You're changing the subject." Asuka frowned.

"I'm just curious. That Katrina woman's quite-"

"You're hitting on her too? She's built like a stove!" Asuka smirked. "Besides, why go for an old East German clunker when you can have this year's model." She purred, slinking over to Kaji's seat.

The Inspector's eyes darted from her chest to her hips to her eyes, before he final leapt to his feet. "I've really got to go."

Asuka's expression melted into a pout. "You never have time for me."

"And you don't have time either." Kaji backed up to the kitchen. " This war's going to keep us both very busy."

"Better to enjoy ourselves while we have the time?" she asked following him.

"Yeah..." Kaji stretched out the word; he was nearly at the front hallway.. "You're a great kid but..."

Asuka stopped. "Oh? Still going after the Ice-Queen?"

"No! It's not like that."

"You're not going Wondergirl are you?"

Kaji ran a palm over his face. "Rei's older than you!"

"What? The Princess? What are you some kind of lolicon perv? You did say that juvenile cute look suited her."

"But I'm not! You're the one..." Kaji gave an inarticulate scream.

The door opened and a pair of Azazel Naval Infantry entered. "Is there a problem, Warrant Officer?"

"No, Vasiliy." Asuka sighed. "The Inspector was just leaving."

Sergeant Vasiliy Eudoxia lowered his voice and asked with mock gravity. "Permanently?"

Asuka laughed. "No I think we can let him off... this time." She warmly smiled at Kaji who had backed up to the threshold. "Now you be a good little Inspector; you don't want me angry do you?"

Kaji looked between the Russians and the Pilot and for a brief moment he missed the dissecting stare of Captain Ayanami. At least that woman kept her hormones in check.

Giggling, Asuka closed the door, but not before blowing Kaji a kiss. Shaking his head, Kaji turned to the Russian guards. "Do you think that's an appropriate joke to tell a young girl?"

"What joke?" Vasiliy blinked.

"Really, you would kill me based on the word of a little girl?"

Vasiliy's companion shrugged. "We're training her how fight like soldier, why not how laugh like one?"

"Dragging people off and killing them isn't funny."

"Depends, how you looking at it." Vasiliy said as they walked back towards the elevator.

Kaji sighed. "In front or behind the barrel?"

Vasiliy slapped Kaji on the back. "See! Good joke!"

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Going down to a kneeling position, Asuka winced and caught her rifle and locked it back into place across Unit 02's chest. Going prone she slowly maneuvered her Evangelion forward, aiming for the twin support booms half extended out of her YC59.

"You're doing okay," Misako's transmission assured. "Just follow the heads up display and you'll line up."

"Right, no pressure," Asuka grimaced as she slid forward. The immense flying-wing dominated her vision, running the full width of her view. Compared to the plane's titanic wingspan, the Eva-length metal prongs seemed almost an afterthought.

Once the prongs had straddled Unit 02's head Asuka paused. "Why can't we just use the automated attachment?" she asked eying her displays. The prongs were unlocked, ready for pylon insertion.

"What if you need to be flown out of a forward airbase?" Misako chuckled. "Only core Nerv bases have the cages and lifts that can do automatic attachment. YC59-C is green for attachment. Final extension. Proceed when ready Pilot."

The redhead looked up and watched as the booms extended until they lined up with her shoulder pylons. "Alignment good," Asuka stated and carefully raised her shoulders. There was a thud and her left side shuddered. "Port pylon contact," Asuka announced and twisted slightly, causing a similar thud. "Starboard contact."

"Just like the simulator." Misako nodded. "Locking shoulder pylons."

_Yeah just like the simulator, save for the time I jerked my shoulder up and broke a boom in half. _Asuka thought to herself. _Crazy Ice Queen._

The clamps at the end of the booms clamped down and locks swiveled into place, fixing the Evangelion to the airframe. "Returning to rest state," Asuka announced as she lifted Unit 02's legs. For a brief moment the entire assemblage, Unit, booms, and airframe groaned and the transport shifted as its landing gears took the additional weight. Holding her lip, Asuka pushed down her instincts and pulled Unit 02's arms off the ground and put them at her side.

Biting back vertigo she looked down and saw herself hanging above the reinforced tarmac. "Fixing body, powering down." Stiffly held out. Unit 02 hung from the ends of the booms like an acrobat.

"Good connection. Reel in the booms," Misako ordered. "Nice work Pilot."

Asuka sighed and let herself lean forward and down. Double checking, she made sure things would fit within the transport's bay, the Unit's legs were straight back and that her weapons and batteries were properly stowed. Looking up, she saw the center bulk of the aircraft close in and eclipse the sun. The booms finished retracting and with a series of mechanical thumps locked into place.

Asuka then retracted the plug armor and let the transport's extend a power and control umbilical. The bridge also allowed for the plug to be inserted in midair. However that was not an option with manual loading. The last indicators finally turned green. The redhead's relief was interrupted by a small heads up display. The redhead narrowed her eyes at the purple-plug-suited princess.

"Hi! You did good. Didn't even damage the booms!" Shinju saccharinely said.

Asuka glared. "Oh like you're such an expert."

Rei's HUD appeared. "The Fourth Child possesses a shoulder patch which states that she is. Do you have any questions on today's mission?"

"Yeah, you've got the same patch too," Asuka grumbled.

"Yes, I am jump-certified, too." Rei blinked. "So you do not have questions? Are you clear on your tasks?"

Asuka exhaled frowning slightly at the LCL taste. "Yes, yes, we drop over Mount Takanosu Testing Range and proceed to Hill Fifty-three for live-fire exercises with our Iowa guns. It will also check our ability to operate from external batteries."

Rei nodded.

The background whine of the four immense turbo-fans rose as they powered up to max thrust. The noise stabbed through Asuka's ears, before being flittered down by her Eva's audio pickups. As the two sister transports revved their engines, Asuka wondered how the ground crew could handle the volume. She closed her eyes and felt the plane shudder as it lurched forward before it began the laborious turning motions that passed for taxiing. Asuka glanced at her map overlay. Her transport lumbered onto the runway and began to turn; then the singing started.

"He was just a rookie trooper and he surely shook with fright. He checked off his equipment and made sure his pack was tight; He had to sit and listen to those awful engines roar, You ain't gonna jump no more!"

The redhead had a brief second to boggle at the sisters' outburst, then the YC-59's RATO system kicked in and Asuka became intimately familiar with the limitations of Eva-Sim.

A simulation tied into an immobile Evangelion was very good at providing realistic controls and displays; however it could not simulate accelerations, especially ones caused by a Rocket Assisted Take-Off system that used eight solid rockets that combined to quadruple the transport's already beefy thrust.

The airframe torquing loads rammed the craft down the runway and, rocket motors still burning, wrenched its nose up leaving the ground, and Asuka's stomach behind.

Pressed against her seat, the redhead heard more English lyrics. "Glory, glory, what a helluva way to die. Glory, glory, what a helluva way to die. Glory, glory, what a helluva way to die. He ain't gonna jump no more!"

The rockets cut out and the transport assumed a more... leisurely climb rate. Asuka took the time too look around her and regretted it. High fidelity panoramic displays in her plug were giving an excellent view of the rapidly receding airbase. _It's okay, its just a display, I'm not going to fall. Not unless the booms fail, wait... I am gonna fall... scheisse... that's the whole point._

Asuka flipped off the displays. It would be a while before the other transports took off and they sortied to the drop zone anyway.

Meanwhile Rei and Shinju continued their duet. " 'Is everybody happy?' cried the Sergeant looking up, Our Hero feebly answered 'Yes,' and then they stood him up; He jumped into the icy blast, his static line unhooked, And he ain't gonna jump no more.

"Glory, glory, what a helluva way to die. Glory, glory, what a helluva way to die. Glory, glory, what a helluva way to die. He ain't gonna jump no more!"

Absent of visual cues Asuka studied the song. They were clearly mangling the refrain, making it sound almost like "Gory, Gory." Asuka knew the Japanese did have problems with the English "L".

"He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the shock. He felt the wind, he felt the cold, he felt the awful drop. The silk from his reserve spilled out and wrapped around his legs. And he ain't gonna jump no more."

Shinju's feed shuddered for a moment as her plane's RATO's ignited. Smirking, Asuka noted the young girl grit her teeth before repeating the refrain.

_So that's your game. You sing to keep your mind of being shot into the air on a bunch of rockets only to have to jump back to the ground, _Asuka thought triumphantly.

"The risers swung around his neck, connectors cracked his dome. Suspension lines were tied in knots around his skinny bones. The canopy became his shroud; he hurtled to the ground. And he ain't gonna jump no more."

Asuka's eyes widened. "Oh-kay.... that's a bit dark," she muttered as the sisters once again sang the refrain.

"The days he'd lived and loved and laughed kept running through his mind. He thought about the girl back home, the one he'd left behind. He thought about the medics and wondered what they'd find, And he ain't gonna jump no more."

By now Shinju's transport YC-59B had gained enough altitude for Rei's plane to take to the air. Mutely, Asuka watched as Rei had even less reaction towards the takeoff. The rockets ignited in mid-chorus and Rei did not miss a beat.

And the grim song continued. "The ambulance was on the spot, the jeeps were running wild. The medics jumped and screamed with glee, rolled up their sleeves and smiled. For it had been a week or more since last a 'chute had failed. And he ain't gonna jump no more."

Once again Asuka listened to the refrain and still could not tell if they were signing "gory" or "glory"

"He hit the ground, the sound was "Splat," his blood went spurting high. His comrades then were heard to say: 'A helluva way to die!' He lay there rolling round in the welter of his gore. And he ain't gonna jump no more."

Despite herself, Asuka snickered. Jumping out of an airplane with the goal of getting surrounded by the enemy just warranted dark humor. Rather like using barely-teenage girls to pilot giant robots against nigh-invincible aliens while nuclear bombs exploded overhead.

_And then you combine them..._ Asuka thought, before her mouth opened. "Gory, gory, what a helluva way to die. Gory, gory, what a helluva way to die." By the second repetition she had caught herself but went with it. "Gory, gory, what a helluva way to die. He ain't gonna jump no more!" Grinning, Asuka finally understood. The point of the chorus was the bending of gory and glory.

Shinju smirked slightly, and then slowly, solemnly she and Rei finished the song. "There was blood upon the risers, there were brains upon the chute. Intestines were a'dangling from his Paratrooper suit. He was a mess; they picked him up, and poured him from his boots. And he ain't gonna jump no more." The young clone looked at Asuka's almost eager... expression, and nodded slightly, and the trio gave the chorus with its customary gusto.

"Yay! I knew you'd join in," Shinju gushed.

Asuka raised an eyebrow at the eager girl. "Not bad," she eventually allowed. "So... are you going to sing it again?"

Rei glanced down at the timer. "There's time before the drop."

End Chapter 4

Writer's Notes:

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray, Ikarus, Trimatter, and Acey. And special thanks to James Axelrad for giving me an accurate layout of the features on a Nimitz ship.

The first song is Alexander Buinov's contemporary song VDV (Vozdushno-Desantnye Vojska, Air-landing Forces). Special thanks to Cheb and Kilich for translating the lyrics. The second songs is Blood Upon the Risers, an American WW2 paratrooper song. Youtube has renditions of both songs and both are worth a listen. special thanks to James Axelrad for giving me an accurate layout of the features on a Nimitz ship.


	5. Stress Test

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh Temple

Naturally, I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. So here's the disclaimer:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Five: Stress Test

"You seem unusually pensive," Fuyutsuki asked from his seat to the side of his boss' desk.

Gendo frowned at the report and leaned back. "Is it that obvious?"

Fuyutsuki chuckled. "Only because you've been reading the report from the Instrumentality Committee, absent your normal wit."

"Good." Silence returned.

Looking up from his own copy of the report, Fuyutsuki caught Ikari's gaze move towards the photograph on his desk. "Introspection does not suit you."

The commander's somewhat mild glare served as consent. "The past is a closed book."

"Commenting on the inaccessibility?" Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow at Gendo's narrowed eyes. "Or is it the immutability?"

"We have done things. Things of great consequence. We will do things of even more import, but still..." Gendo's gaze returned to the picture of the Ayanami sisters.

"You are not one for regret."

"No, but I do wonder." Gendo sighed.

Trying to conceal his surprise, Fuyutsuki cleared his throat.

"Metaphysical Biology always allowed for Salvage."

"Yes, the transitive properties of souls were key to our work, but application required precise work and the development of technology like the Magi."

"It would seem that Doctor Akagi has finally stepped outside of her mother's shadow.

Fuyutsuki nodded. "So, it's about her."

"We tried. We knew what she wanted but we still tried. There was some success, the first Child proved that." Gendo's voice softened. "But Naoko wasn't good enough was she?"

"I'm afraid Yui really is a closed book."

Gendo tapped his desk. "The potential is there, but..."

"It was a contact experiment." Fuyutsuki fatally stated.

"I suppose there is a symmetry at work."

"Beyond the expected symmetry between Pilot and Unit?" Fuyutsuki smiled weakly.

"Blood tells, Professor."

"And what is it telling you?"

"Perhaps I was wrong trying to protect him." Gendo exhaled. "Clearly, Unit 01 does suit her."

"You didn't think you'd need Shinji." Fuyutsuki paused fractionally on the last syllable.

"Great, first you accuse me of being wistful and now you add sentimental."

"Your words. Not mine."

Gendo smirked. "I suppose I could have boarded him in a military school instead of with family."

"Let alone the other Children."

"Playing 'what if' with past policy decisions is defeating. Look at the role Katsuragi has played."

"Which one?"

"Not the Doctor, though obviously Super Solenoid and the Expedition had their role. No, perhaps the death of Ritsuko's friend forced the breakthrough that eluded her mother."

Fuyutsuki blew air through his teeth in a hiss and looked out one of the panoramic windows of the expansive office. "Yes... without the Fourth our position would be even more precarious."

"At least we don't have to worry about the Fourth. Especially given how... sudden things changed."

"What? Did you expect a self-loathing hedgehog? My brother isn't that incompetent of a guardian and what kind of child of mine would obsess over me?"

"Very few parents would think ill of their children," Fuyutsuki remarked.

"What do you think Yui's opinion of her would be?"

"We both know what she would have thought about having a daughter," Fuyutsuki said a bit sharply.

"No Shinju is fine; only the Second is sub-par."

"Yes, the Fourth does seem to have adjusted rather well to being a twelve-year-old girl."

Gendo shrugged. "The Fourth's file indicates she handled being a fourteen-year-old boy well enough."

"And our other guest?" Fuyutsuki looked to Gendo's gloved hands.

"You saw it."

"Inspector Ryoji was a risky courier."

"He was suitable for the purpose. Properly baited he played quite the honey-pot."

"But is the proximity wise?" Fuyutsuki asked keeping his gaze.

Gendo chuckled. "Sometimes, you are too cautious."

"Age imparts caution. The Old Men are prime examples. Still, we cannot operate so freely. Discretion..."

Gendo held up his right hand to silence the professor. "I'll concede that this time caution is warranted. There is competition. The Plan is at risk." He looked to the picture frame. "But... the window has not closed yet."

Fuyutsuki chuckled. "Now you sound hopeful. Or is that eager?"

Smiling thinly, Gendo turned to the older man. "Your words. Not mine."

"So, there is more than one way?" Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow.

Gendo turned and looked out at the panoramic view of the Geo-Front his office allowed. "Adaptation is a prerequisite for survival and we must survive if our plans are to succeed."

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"What the hell is that?" Asuka stepped into the grove of trees that stood in a side yard of the apartment compound taken over by the Eva Pilots and their Azazel Naval Infantry escorts.

Rei briefly looked up from her novel and looked to Shinju. The First Child gave the barest tinge of a warm expression towards the diminutive clone. For her part, Shinju in a frilly romper was happily hugging a big blue... thing. Shiny but pliable, the octahedron was slightly bigger than Shinju's torso and gave off a soprano aria with every hug.

"Is it cute?" Shinju asked, smiling sweetly while holding the triangular-faced double-pyramid towards Asuka. "I killed you; yes, yes I did," she quietly cooed pulling it back to her chest.

Gaping Asuka's eyes went to the middle Ayanami, then to the laughing Russians, and finally settled onto the two "normal" girls.

Seeing Asuka's pleading eyes Shirane sighed. "Yes, it's an Angel toy. I told you Kotobukiya Hobby got the license to make all sorts of stuff."

"And Princess is hugging the one that looks like two pyramids. Why?"

"She thinks it's the cutest." Nozomi explained.

"I guess, all the angels are pretty ugly. Just seems a bit plain for her tastes."

Behind her bangs, Shinju smirked slightly.

"Well she thought the pig was cute too," Shirane said.

Nozomi's face paled. "No."

Asuka stared at the pre-teen pilot. "What?"

"We don't talk about the pig." Nozomi hissed.

"It's just weird, them being vegetarians and all..." Seeing Nozomi's glare, Shirane trailed off.

"Look at it this way; at least she's not doing this with her redheaded doll."

Asuka's eyebrow twitched. "She... bought that thing?"

"No, Nozomi's sister got her the set of pilot dolls."

Nozomi sighed.

"Really?" Asuka's voice was flat.

Shirane nodded. "I got the scale models of the three Units."

Slumping onto a tree trunk, Asuka sighed, and absently adjusted her holster. "Why am I surrounded by such strangeness?"

Shinju put her plush Ramiel down. "You're a Pilot, tragedy is part of our existence."

"Oh, morbid. I thought you were going to be a _sweet_ gothic Lolita?" Shirane teased.

Shinju blushed.

"We're teenage girls that are sent out to kill aliens, and if we fail everything gets nuked."

"You get to fight in really cool robots though."

"There is that," Asuka beamed.

"You need to open your heart to it," Shinju whispered.

Asuka leaned back. "Isn't that what you shout in battle?"

Shinju absently patted her mini-Ramiel.

"Yeah..." Asuka shook her head. "Anyway, I was thinking of going to the range, and if you were up to a little challenge."

Shinju perked her head up.

"Not a good idea." Shirane shook her head. "Shinju-chan makes guns seem just as girly as ribbons and fluffy bows."

"All three of which she's wearing," Nozomi deadpanned.

Asuka turned to the girls. "She's not perfect. I'm just as good a shot as she is."

"Isn't one of your nicknames for her Perfect Princess?"

"And she's not really a princess is she?"

Shinju gave a tiny smile.

Breaking away from his men, Lieutenant Pyotr Kurchatov silently ambled to the girls. "You want shooting challenge, then?

"Well I was thinking a normal match based on points."

Pyotr frowned.

"Katrina said she could have some of her men watch the range, so..."

Pyotr nodded and turned to Rei. The First Child looked up and Pyotr raised an eyebrow and shrugged in Asuka's direction.

Rei looked to the Second and gave a matching non-committal shrug.

Asuka looked to Pyotr. He was far saner than Shinju's brute of a bodyguard. "Okay, if you've got some training in mind."

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Kaji sipped his tea as a slim woman slipped into the booth. She held a clutch purse and wore a plain if somewhat formal beige dress with red piping. Humming, she bore a serene little smile that quickly died when she looked at the spy's face.

"You remembered why I called this meeting."

The young woman nodded, her grey eyes downcast. Her fine auburn hair, carefully combed and fixed into a mid-parted style with curled ends seemed appropriate for her age, if at least several decades out of date.

Kaji leaned back and idly scanned the restaurant. "You worry too much. Secretaries are allowed to date, even those of important men."

Adjusting a pair of slim silver-framed glasses, she gave a slight nod and nearly cried out when the waitress came to the table. After giving a stuttering, flushed apology, she ordered a water and some pecan cookies.

Kaji let the silence eat at her.

"What do you want?" she eventually asked, after the waitress returned with her order.

Kaji frowned slightly. Her voice seemed a bit too playful.  
"I want to know their agenda. I want to know what they want."

The secretary lifted her head up and gave a lopsided smile. "Seele wants Azazel gone." She giggled and gave a flighty motion with her hands. "So, things can go back the way they were, but you know the truth." She broke a cookie in two. "There's no going back. The Russians changed things. Forever."

"Yes, it doesn't matter if the Russians are taken out. The cat's out of the bag. You don't need Evas to kill an angel."

"At least they'll die quick. You'll squeeze me until I get caught, or became a liability."

Kaji laughed. In his experience women and sources could always be helped along with a bit of flattery. "I don't want to kill you. What would I do without you? Go back to conning spooks? No. No. You complete me."

The woman gave a coy smile. "You're a liar. You'll sell out anyone."

"Hey! I'm doing this to save humanity."

She shook her head. "No, don't talk like them, because you're not. Even if you'd like to be." She patted his hand. "To them you're just a freak. Like me. They need you right now, when they don't..." She bit down on the cookie. "They'll cast you out. Like a leper. See... their morals, their ethics, their humanism, it's a joke. Dropped whenever it gets too hard. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. You lived through the Second Impact. You know what they did. You know the choices they made when things got too hard."

"You seem amused at human suffering."

She folded her hands in front of her. "There is something... reassuring at knowing the limitations of the human race."

"Given the work your boss is engaged in?" Kaji let the leading question hang.

"What do you think my boss and his... friends want? What do you think they've done?

"What I think? I know about the Katsuragi Expedition." Kaji's hand shook as he sipped his tea. "I know who was behind it. I've got a good idea what they were trying to do."

The secretary smiled slightly, her advice had been useful. Give him the right tidbits, the right direction, and he would happily go off and dig out the rest.

Looking around the room again, Kaji shook his head. "Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. A year from now, fourteen, right now? They believe that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that."

Grinning shyly, she leaned forward and lifted up her glasses. "And what are you going to do about it?"

Kaji gave a cocky smirk. "I aim to misbehave."

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"You really didn't think this through." Katrina warned as Asuka took apart her double-barreled rifle.

"I thought a little competition would be good." Asuka peered down the barrels and sighed.

From her bench Shinju looked up and gave a shy wave.

"You let Pyotr pick the contest and judge," Katrina deadpanned.

"How was I supposed to know he's nuts!"

Rei frowned at the outburst, but resumed her own work.

"You didn't think he'd have a bias towards Rei?" Katrina chuckled and leaned back.

"It was supposed to be just the two of us."

"Well, now you both lost."

"And it's not fair!" Asuka wailed. "Princess likes getting girly dresses."

"I picked something, I felt you would both enjoy, but not be willing to purchase for yourselves." Rei stated, using a ramrod to push a cleaning patch through the fifty caliber barrel.

"What? You're telling me Princess won't buy that silly Lolita dress?"

"Have you seen her wear anything like that?" Katrina asked.

"Well... some of her clothes are pretty frilly but..." Asuka rubbed her forehead. "You're telling me you don't actually dress that way?" she harshly asked the Fourth Child.

"Shirane and Nozomi think I'd look good that way but..." Shinju blushed and went back to cleaning the hinge assembly to the scale-rifle.

"So... if I had won and you'd have been forced to ditch all the frilly stuff and only wear skits when a uniform required it... you'd be okay with that?"

"I dressed that way before moving in with Oneesan and Oneechan." Shinju shrugged.

Asuka gaped. "You... you were a tomboy? With hair like that?"

Looking up Shinju brushed aside one of her long bangs and paused in thought. "Oneesan did give me my headband when I arrived; we also went shopping for a new wardrobe."

Asuka slowly put her tools down and organized the spread parts on her bench. "So, you get called up to Tokyo 3. Find out you're a Pilot, and decide to go all girly. That's right then?"

Shinju tapped her chin.

Asuka groaned and went back to cleaning. "I'm an idiot," she muttered.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we can find a gown that's perfectly adequate for your needs."

Asuka exhaled, and returned to her cleaning. After the powder residue was finally removed, she switched to a dry patch and then started oiling. "So, is there any way I could have won? Are you at least a bit embarrassed that you'll have to buy that black and purple ribbon explosion that Shirane found?"

Shinju looked at her weapon and then down at the lacy jumper she wore. Closing her eyes she breathed a few times. "My heart is open."

Asuka huffed and turned to Rei. "How sad is it that you're the normal one?"

Without looking up, or bearing any real expression, Rei wiped down the barrel and stock assemblies of her rifle before sliding them together and snapping the break-action shut. Thoughtfully she pointed the gun to the floor and dry fired the triggers. Working the action she then proceeded to run an oil cloth over the outside removing any stray fingerprints and stains.

She then slung the rifle over her shoulder and looked Asuka in the eye. "I cry myself to sleep every night at the thought."

"Oh.... kay." Asuka shivered at the girl's leaden words. "Even counting that sense of humor of yours, you're still the normal one."

Rei looked to Shinju and blinked. "She acknowledged that it was a joke. It seems Shirane is correct: I am funny."

"Yeah, you did good, Oneechan!" Shinju cheered.

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Smiling, Ritsuko leaned back on her chair. "So Rei tricked Asuka?"

On the other side of the Director's office, Misako nodded. "She got into the contest and beat them both."

"She made Shinju get a frilly dress too," Ritsuko exhaled.

"Oh let her have fun. She's been eyeing that dress for a while."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's the right attitude? After all Shinju was..."

"You're the one that put her in the little clone body. Rei could have had a twin sister you know."

Ritsuko pulled out a cigarette. "Twins would have put a bigger spotlight on you. We don't want more questions. If we didn't have to maintain the secret I'd have had you be triplets. That way you'd all be stock models."

"Gee, Ritsuko, you make a woman feel so special."

Ritsuko flicked on her lighter. "Oh you are special. Model N4-003," she said staring into the butane flame.

"Three?" Misako asked as Ritsuko lit her cigarette.

"You were my little guinea pig."

The clone shivered. "What... what happened to the other two? Did they come out wrong, did the transfer not hold? You got a room somewhere full of... me's?"

"Actually it's more like a big LCL aquarium." Ritsuko deadpanned.

Misako ground her teeth. "Rits...."

Feeling the office's air conditioning kick in, the scientist chuckled. "Oh you're easy to tease." She blew a smoke ring. "You're a clone. There's nothing different between you or Rei. Rei's number 2, and Shinju's 4.

"And one?"

Ritsuko looked at her cigarette. "There were... problems. You know my mother?"

"Yeah, she was big on the Magi right?"

"She also... helped with the Pilot project. The first one, didn't go so well." Ritsuko stabbed the barely smoked cigarette in her astray.

"What happened?"

"Salvage experiment went bad." Ritsuko flatly said.

"Oh. That's something your mother never figured out, right?"

Ritsuko smirked. "Do allow me that bit of pride."

Misako laughed. "You had me worried for a bit. I had this vision of you being some mad scientist experimenting on a whole clone army."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

"A tactical officer and two warrant officers don't count for an army."

Ritsuko kept her eyebrow raised.

"Fine, yes we're all Eva Pilots." Misako crossed her arms over her chest. "You're no fun."

"So, what did you think I'd be doing with a mess of clones?" Ritsuko said as she took out a fresh cigarette and grabbed her lighter.

"I dunno, using us for your auto-pilot project."

Ritsuko slowly put her lighter down. "Really?"

"There's a reason NHIS couldn't hope to make an AT field, mechanically." Misako shrugged. "Evas are alive. You need a Pilot to synchronize with one."

Ritsuko gave a toothy smile.

Misako groaned. "Crap."

"Mad scientist remember?"

"So your auto-pilot... it's powered by a forsaken Child?"

"Might be, kind of- I mean, I didn't use the whole thing," Ritsuko's smirk died when she felt a chill down her neck. "Look, I'm kidding."

"Really? Then how do you do it?"

"Cloning." Ritsuko stated as she lit her second smoke.

Misako narrowed her eyes.

"Oh not all clones are you. The Magi have plenty of organic components. The Dummy Plug system is a Magi-derivative modified to interface with Evangelion. Sure, it's got some of your genetic information, but that's to enable the system to mimic a human's brainwaves."

"I thought we weren't normal humans."

Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "Fine it mimics an Ayanami."

"I suppose Asuka's stock human."

Ritsuko inhaled some smoke. "Makes me wish I stuck with clones."

"She is getting better. Katrina's really gotten less colorful in the reports she sends me."

"Maybe she's running out of ways to swear. I mean she only speaks what, Russian, German, English and Japanese?"

"Look, she's getting better training."

"Would you send her on the next mission?"

Misako looked to the ceiling. "Depends. Certainly not a solo, but maybe providing support. I'll have to see how she handles tomorrow's war-game."

"And if she fails?"

"Break her down for parts?" Misako smirked. "I'm sure you've got some experiments you've been itching to try. After all if you can't make a girl into a good Pilot, you could just make a good Pilot."

"Oh yes, I've got some novel interface ideas, you see we had to modify Evangelion to accept a Pilot, so why not do the reverse? Yes, I can taste the rich frothing tang of Science!" Ritsuko cackled.

Misako stared and after a moment edged a bit back in her seat.

"Don't be such a baby. I already crossed the line into mad science when I made you."

"I thought the giant bio-mechanical robots and supercomputers powered by shards of your mother's soul would be enough."

Ritsuko snickered and took a puff. "Yes, yes. All very good projects, but really you need clones to cap it off. It's traditional, you see."

"Huh. You know you never do talk about your colleagues."

Ritsuko snorted. "In Metaphysical Biology? A field with such luminaries as my mother, your father, Professor Insana, Asuka's mother, and the Sub-Commander?"

"Okay... you have a point."

"Hell, that smirking Russian's right. The whole field's nuts."

"You seem to be doing pretty... good."

Ritsuko simply stared at the clone. She sighed. "I suppose it could be worse. At least I could get some respect. Why, Doctor Insano would laugh me out of the Mad Scientists' Association if I didn't get around to clones at some point."

"What? That's not real."

Ritsuko smirked.

"Come on!"

"Oh, no it's real. That's the informal name to the Metaphysical-biology Association, Division of Applied Sciences. If you're drunk enough after a conference it looks sorta like MAD Sciences. It's a little joke that's been around since the old Artificial Evolution lab."

"Right.... but the doctor?"

"Professor Tino Noah Insana. He's with Nerv-02."

"Oh, him." Misako stared. "I hate you."

"He's got the unfortunate nickname of Tina. You see they swap the last-"

Misako rolled her eyes. "Yes, I get it. I can't believe Nerv would hire someone... wait. Yes I can."

"He's not so bad." Ritsuko paused and after a moment sighed.

"So, he's mad but competent?"

Ritsuko nodded. "Back when they were in development he worked on Evangelion systems integration. Now, he's heading the Super Solenoid research branch over there."

"Oh, so highly experimental and powerful engines are being developed by a guy with the nickname of Insano? Lovely."

"What? He's eccentric not stupid."

"Reassuring," Misako deadpanned.

"Much as I'd love to do all the work myself I just don't have the time."

"Some mad scientist you are. You've got a clone army. Just make a few of you."

Ritsuko raised her eyes up to the ceiling. "Like that wouldn't turn around and bite me in the ass."

"Huh, I didn't realize you felt that way... about yourself."

Ritsuko snorted. "If I made duplicates of myself, it'd be a week before the Akagi count dropped back down to one."

"Just drug them into being good little helpers." Misako gave a big wide-eyed smile.

"My someone's being a sarcastic clone today."

"So you really couldn't live with yourself?"

Ritsuko inhaled some smoke. "Could you?"

Misako simply gave a half-lidded gaze.

"You're only genetically identical."

The clone raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Okay, yes there's some... leakage but-"

"But we're different. We live together and we're the only family any of us really have."

"Shinju..."

"Shinji's former guardians wouldn't recognize Shinju. As for her father... I'm just glad he's gotten out of the way."

"He is a... difficult man to live with."

Misako blinked. "Ewwww...."

Remembering the original owner of that face, Ritsuko stared at Misako. "Not like that! I paused because I didn't want to say 'He is a socially oblivious bastard.' "

"Sure Rits, I believe you," Misako winked.

"Oh grow up."

"You're the one that took away a third of my age."

"Being younger helps you bond better with the Pilots, and the less accelerated aging the less your body is stressed."

"Yes, thanks for reminding me I'm in a buggy body." Misako stuck out her tongue.

Ritsuko waved her cigarette around. "You don't get to be picky. Rei's had to take various drugs and deal with weekly medical exams for her whole life."

"And it shows."

"You and Shinju have been doing great with her." Ritsuko stubbed her cigarette out. "Even Pyotr's been doing good with her."

"Yeah, handy that the Russians had Japanese fluent Azazel Naval Infantry officers that complemented every one of our pilots and their tactical officer." Once again, Misako was wide-eyed and empty-smiled.

Ritsuko snorted.

"I'm half tempted to ask Sakharov who the next Pilot is. Odds are he already knows."

"You think they've penetrated Marduk?" Ritsuko's smile broke as she began to laugh. "Oh yes... that'd be great!"

"You know Rits, sometimes I get the feeling you're not being totally honest with me."

"We're Nerv. Everyone's related to everyone else and we screw each other in the dark."

"Yeah... ewww."

Ritsuko sighed. "I could have phrased that better."

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Shinju pulled her hair band off and carefully hung it inside her locker. She then clicked her plugsuit's wrist and checked her sidearm and sealed it in her pilot-issue holster and slipped on her interface headset. Finally, she looked over to see Asuka doing much the same, if more slowly.

"Are you okay?"

Asuka looked up. "Fine!"

"There's nothing wrong with being scared."

Checking her headset, Asuka snorted "I'm fine!"

Shinju pursed her lip and turned to Rei, also dressed in her plugsuit.

"If you're not fit for battle, Captain Ayanami will ground you."

Asuka slammed her locker closed. "You'd like that!"

Rei blinked. "Yes, I'd prefer my sister to not die due to an incompetent partner."

Asuka glared while Shinju stepped off to the side and called the command center.

Rei glanced over to Shinju who hung up the phone and nodded. The first child turned to Asuka. "We need to get to our Evangelions."

Frowning, Shinju followed the two older girls out of the locker room and to the Evangelion cages and into their cockpits. The cockpits were inserted into the plugs, and then the plugs were inserted into the Evangelions. Shinju slowly and evenly inhaled the LCL and opened herself to synchronization.

"Are you feeling okay?" Misako asked, via view-screen window. "You look distracted."

"I'm worried about the Second."

"Everyone gets jitters their first time." Misako frowned. "She needs to get experience sometime."

Shinju nodded. "Yes, Oneesan."

"Good luck." Misako switched to the other pilots, and then turned to the uppermost platform. "Commander, the pilots are ready."

"Are you sure the second is ready?" Gendo asked.

"Her performance in the simulations has caught up to the others."

General Yubari nodded. "We have cleared her for operations, but she is still a rookie."

"That's why Shinju will lead the operation," Misako went back to the display.

"We have cleared routes to the runway. Eva 01 and 02 are in position," Makoto said from his terminal.

"Pattern Blue heading north in Suruga Bay, estimated landfall at Numazu City," Aoba announced.

"Launch Evangelions!" Misako ordered. "I want those planes in the air as soon as the Evas are secured.

Deep inside Unit 02, Asuka listened as her Evangelion banged and shuddered as it was transferred from its control cradle to the carrying arms on her Y59 transport. Once locked onto the plane, she heard the engines whine and the plane start to taxi towards the runway.

Then Shinju's image appeared. "Hi!"

Asuka narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"

Shinju looked down and blushed. "Well... I want to wish you good luck."

Asuka tried to snort, and then held her nose and coughed up some LCL. "Gah... well that's funny. You tried to replace me with Wondergirl."

The plug shuddered as the engines flared and the plane shot down the runway. Her bottom fell out as the plane took to the air and rockets shoved it skyward. On her screen, Shinju shuddered as her transport took to the air.

After both planes had leveled out of their climb, Shinju looked up and seemed to lock her eyes onto Asuka. "Oneesama said you were ready. Do not prove her wrong."

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Grey eyes tracked the mass of contrails cutting across the sky. The growling, heavy whine of giant turbo fans and the thundering pulse of rocket boosters pulled her attention from planes mustering towards the south-west. Instead she leveled her gaze and saw two immense flying wings, each with a nearly three hundred meter wingspan, lurch into the air.

Dressed in a prim black skirt, white blouse, black pumps, and black vest of an office lady, she stood alone in the business plaza. Around her the skyscrapers of Tokyo 3 began to descent clearing out her view of the mountains to the west of the city.

"Mikki, there you are," one of the other secretaries, this one with black hair in a ponytail pulled over on ear ran up to her.

Mikki turned face her coworker.

"Didn't you hear the sirens? We have to get to the shelter!"

The grey eyed woman nodded absently.

"Come on!" her coworker tried to pull the girl but found Mikki squirm her wrist out of her grasp.

Looking back at the sky, Mikki's face brightened. "Coming, I just wanted to see them take off!" She smoothed one of her curled crimson tresses back into place. "Good luck sister," she whispered, looking back to the south-west before running to the bunker-like entrance to the shelter elevator.

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"You're approaching the landing zone," Misako said over the plug's heads up display. "Israfel is about to make landfall near the ruins of Numazu City."

"This sucks, my Japanese debut and I can't solo," Asuka muttered to herself. "Why do I have to bring you?"

Shinju frowned. "Procedure," she coldly stated.

"Well, let me tell you something: just don't get in my way!" Asuka growled.

Shinju narrowed her eyes, and her display vanished as Unit 01 was released from the transport plane.

"Her selection as a Pilot must be a joke," Asuka sighed just before her own drop.

One after the other the two Evangelions hit the beach in a low crouch. A pair of cable trucks lumbered up and lifted their umbilical cables.

"Two against one is not what I call a fair fight." Asuka said as she plugged into the external power.

Shinju kept her small frown as she wired into her umbilical and shouldered her rifle.

"Survival takes priority," Misako stated. "You've got M-Type equipment so don't worry about getting wet."

A sixty meter tall figure breached the water. Roughly humanoid but lacking a clear head, the giant had long gangly arms that almost reached to its own feet. Its skin was a thick silvery hide and instead of a face it simply had a circular plate with three holes.

From inside the command center, Misako looked up at the looming angel. "Attack at will!"

"Cover me Shinju!" Asuka shouted as she started to run down the beach.

"You don't give me orders, rookie," Shinju mildly stated as she lined the sights up on her rifle "Wisky" BB-64. She smirked fractionally. "Strafe to the side, I want a clear line of fire.

Slinging her rifle, Asuka grunted and altered her course by wheeling along to the side. She soon reached the water's edge and, instead of wading started hopping on the rooftops of the partially submerged buildings. Each long leaping stride eating up the vast distance.

"It's not moving," Shinju warned as she shouldered the massive gun and placed Unit 01's feet and braced for the recoil.

Asuka drew her entrenching tool, drew it back over Unit 02's head, and sliced down. Roughly bisected the Angel fell into two quivering halves that slumped back down.

Asuka smirked and waded back a bit from her handiwork. "What do you think of that Fourth? A fight should be clean, elegant and without waste."

"We're getting a pattern orange," Ritsuko's voice cut in as the angel pieces began to balloon into two humanoid figures. Gaping Asuka stared at the transformation.

"Asuka, duck and cover!" Shinju screamed.

Training hit and Asuka slammed Unit 02 down to the sandy bottom. As she sent out her AT field the water above her was struck by one massive concussion and then it lit up and flashed with heat. A bare second later another explosion hit, this one a hundred meters to the side.

After being battered about Asuka pulled herself up and saw lumps of spongy angel flesh floating in front of her. "You shot an N2 at me!"

"Get out of the water, Warrant," Shinju tightly said, flicking her gun open and slipping another set of shells in.

"What are you talking about?" Asuka looked over the runny, bobbing chunks, which, while lacking the gouts of blood she had come to expect from angels, were dappled with splotches of red. "You killed the damn-" Finally, noticing how the pieces were running bak together, Asuka clenched her spade and began to back out.

"Faster would be better."

"Right." Using some of the remaining buildings as stepping-stones, Asuka pulled back towards the beach. By the midway point, a quartet of angels had congealed. Each was about equal to an Evangelion in height and was split between silver and gold.

Inside the command center the various Nerv, Azazel and JSSDF personnel watched the mitosis. Communicating with the Pilots Misako was having them pull back from the beach as the group of angels began to race forward.

Fuyutsuki leaned down to Gendo. "This was unexpected."

"Not the first unexpected information today," Gendo grumbled.

"Pardon?"

The commander waved him off. "What is Rei's status?"

"Unit 00 is ready and loaded onto a YC59," Maya stated.

"Captain Zel'dovich reports that his squadron is in position," Makoto announced.

"Thank the captain, but we'll authorize a launch only after the Evas have been pulled back." General Yubari stated.

The gigantic monitors flashed over again as Unit 02 fired into the center of the group. The angel on the far left darted to the side and leapt into the air and was blasted apart by another blinding white flash.

"That's not destroying their cores," Ritsuko muttered as she worked at a Magi terminal.

"Nyet, AT field seems only prevent vaporization, all other damage is regenerated," Beria muttered. "Moskva now, before they split up."

General Ishikari glanced back to Ikari.

"Load Unit 00 with as many sets of Mark 9 rounds that you can get in a minute and launch." Gendo pushed his glasses back into place. "Captain Ayanami, move your Pilots to that ridge west of Mount Ohira. And get me Admiral Sudoplatov; I do have a use for his planes."

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Once on solid land, Unit 02 was able to rapidly sprint up the beech and across the Second-Impact-ruined cityscape. Unit 01 was already well ahead of her couching behind a the remains of an elevated freeway.

"Why are we always retreating?" Asuka demanded as the loping little angels, each only coming up to an Evangelion's shoulders, steadily gained on her.

"Air strike," Shinju flatly stated as she fired into the bakers-dozen Israfel. Unfortunately, the first blast only incinerated half of them and remainder of the flock darted apart when the next hit came.

Two of them leapt up and landed on Unit 02. The first one hit her left arm with a bear-hug while her right arm grabbed her progressive blade and sliced the angel off. As that happened the second angel landed on Unit 02's head, wrapped around it and detonated.

Head pounding, ears ringing, vision blurring, Asuka felt Unit 02 fall to its knees, as the multitude of Israfel closed.

"Duck and _Cover!_" Shinju cried, stressing the second word.

Curling into a ball, Asuka concentrated and her AT field shimmered just as a mass of angels leapt onto it. Their detonations were little pops, especially when compared to the scorching blast from Shinju's Mark 9.

"Cover!" Shinju beat her spade onto the angels and Unit 02. After clearing the clingers, Unit 01 slung Unit 02 over its shoulders and took off running, twin cables trailing behind

"Incoming, clear the beach," Misako ordered

"Keep the cover!" Shinju shouted as she threw Unit 02 to the ground and jumped on top of the Evangelion.

Further dazed by the impact, Asuka looked up and saw several of contrails race across sky, then in the cover of her HUD she saw Shinju's... expectant face as Unit 01 turned to angel mob.

"Bombs are friend! Come, visit friends!" Shinju cackled as the flight of Tu-160's released their loads.

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View-screens flickering, Asuka lifted up Unit 02's head as she went into one-kneed kneel. Wincing, she shouldered her Mark 9, and as explosions pounded in the distance she eased over the two hundred meter ridge her Evangelion had been heaved over.

"Pilot Status?" Misako's voice demanded, the picture in picture on the view-screen alternated between being blank and showing static.

Asuka blinked but looked to her displays and read her gauges. "Uh... okay, visual communications and sensors damaged. Armor battered but... still functional, power supply holding."

Numazu City sprawled below her and it was... filled with writhing metallic angels. Underfoot, the beach, the highway, any remaining buildings had been turned into a moonscape of interlocking craters. The one bare spot was roughly circular and had a pair of deep Eva-scale tracks leading away.

The waist-high swarm steadily loped towards Unit 01, which stood on the steep slope leading to the ridge. Ramparts of mashed angel flesh piled at the foot of the ridge and occasionally quivered as they gelled into more Israfel.

The giant war-machine looked smug, almost serene, as it broke open its Mark 9, spent brass cartridges flung out and were replaced by a pair of green tipped shells.

"Gotte... why didn't they just nuke it?" Asuka asked, reflexively checking her weapons.

"You would have been dead too, and it might have missed some of the angels at the edges." Misako transmitted. "Lots of... little bombs were able to buy us some time."

"Weaker AT field now. Canister shot," Shinju ordered Asuka over the com-link as she raised her rifle and fired into the crowd. After exiting the spinning sabots flung aside releasing two dozen eight inch diameter spheres.

The wave of miniaturized N2 warheads arced down the slope. Instead of one sky-blinding flash, a wave of sun-bright detonations raked through the angelic lines. Body parts flew and spongy flesh spattered across the destroyed city.

And in that moment, Asuka hesitated. Complementing the rolling thunder of detonations were pearls of high, almost giggling, maniacal laughter. The redhead swallowed, braced herself, fired into the silent horde.

Spheres of light bloomed and swallowed many of the angels, pouring over flickering AT fields and blasting their flesh apart. However, more came.

One armed, Shinju snapped her rifle shut and raked the tip of the barrel across a line of Israfel. On the backswing she jammed the end of the gun into the lead angel in the swarm.

Reloading herself, Asuka tilted her Evangelion's head to avoid the flash.

"Who sends all these babies to fight?" Shinju bellowed with disgust as more Israfel marched over the mashed pulp of their siblings. Switching to her spade she began to tear through the mob.

"How many of these things are there?" Asuka asked as she fumbled for another cartridge.

"Well over sixty-four," Ritsuko tonelessly transmitted, as Shinju punted an angel that had managed to surmount the ridge into the bay.

"Not my fault!" Asuka shouted.

"Hold on, Rei is on approach with more ammunition," Misako assured.

"And then what?" Asuka cried as she shot northward across the slope, clearing some space for Shinju to reload.

Ritsuko's voice cut in. "Each generation's AT field is weaker than the previous; you are hurting them."

Before she could respond, Asuka spotted some of part of the mob breaking away from the ridge where they wheeling around to the north and towards a run up a pass where the ridge dropped down to a mere fifty meters. "Sheisse, flank right!"

"On your left too," Misako noted as over a dozen angels poured in from the south over the summit of Mount Ohira."

Capitan Ayanami looked over the giant topographical display. "Shinju take center, Asuka left." She then keyed to an Azazel channel "Captain Zel'dovich take out the right."

"How long until Unit 00 arrives?" General Ishikari asked as the screen bloomed with the detonation of an N2-tipped Moskva.

"She's only a minute out, will be over the drop zone momentarily."

"Little bastards split up," Asuka's voice cut in as Unit 02 scrambled backwards and down slope to intercept the multiplying survivors of her attack.

Misako's eyes widened. A few kilometers behind both Evangelions was an unassuming blue glyph; one that was connected to both Units with thin blue lines. "They're after the transformer. Asuka intercept!"

"This is a bit beyond the single-minded march forward we've seen before," Fuyutsuki whispered.

"Clever." Gendo noted.

"With the external batteries they've still got twenty minutes," Ritsuko said.

"How many spares are airborne?" Misako asked.

"Two C5s are on orbit, each loaded with an external set," Makoto stated.

Part of Asuka tried to listen to the conversation back at base, but most of her was concentrating on the transformer station. The collection of heavy trucks, industrial electrical equipment and various transmission and umbilical cables contained everything needed to link Evangelion with Japan's power grid.

It was nearly overrun.

Behind her, to the west Shinju's laugher mixed with smattering rumbles and cracks. To the north the blasts were less frequent, but the concussion was much higher, with overpressures steadily racing down he valley and battering the hardened station.

However, to the South the little angels freely ran down the hill. Unit 02 picked off at least half of the hoard. Then they crossed the river and got within a kilometer of the station.

Growling, Asuka sling her rifle and drew her knife and entrenching tool. Leaping into the mass, she started stabbing and actually shoveling the enemy away. Using her spade she scooped the angels up two at a time and flung them away. Half the time they exploded on her spade, but it kept them at bay.

"Pilot, to your south!" Misako shouted.

Chuckling as a lateral slash eviscerated four angels at once, Asuka looked up towards the mountain. A silvery avalanche was tumbling down. "Oh.... "

Asuka unslung her rifle and ejected the canister shot. She briefly considered opening the sealed container on her ammo belt and getting the white-tips, but relented and pulled out a set of red-tipped cartridges. Snapping the gun shut she shouldered it and as the angels clamored towards her she fired.

Twin penetrator N2 warheads slammed into Mount Ohira, and in a massive burst of dust and light the avalanche turned from figurative to literal. Dozens of angels were consumed in the rockslide. There was a brief hush in the command center as the topographical map updated.

Staring at the field of writhing, buried angels, Asuka flipped out her spade and with a feral grin started slashing the struggling angels.

"Hooah! Give 'em hell, Red!" Shinju cheered.

"Damn right." Grinning at the words, Asuka flipped the Big J open and loaded in two canister shot cartridges. After eliminating the trapped angels she ran back to the transformer station, spade in one hand, knife in the other.

Her motions were brutal and workmanlike. The two blades simply cut through the capering mobs as they swarmed about. Then to the west there were two more rock spewing explosions as Shinju collapsed the center ridge on her horde.

The distraction was enough and a trio of angels slipped past Unit 02 and detonated amid the collection of electrical equipment and transmission wires. " Schweinehunde!" Asuka screamed as the complex blew apart and her Evangelion switched to battery power.

In the command center, Misako frowned at the display. The transformer station had been just destroyed and Unit 02 was slicing apart angels as they scattered about. Unit 01 had been progressively pulling back, and was now hitting the angels as they crested the ridge, and despite periodic missile strikes, some angels managed to slip through the northern pass.

"First Child is over the drop-zone," Aoba announced.

"Halt drop!" Misako shouted. "This whole thing's a trap."

General Yubari looked over the map and nodded. "Honey-pot. There's enough of those bastards to split up and make a run for Tokyo 3."

"But they're not," Misako said before repeating her halt order to the YC59's crew.

"They're waiting for us to fully commit our troops so they can simply walk around 'em." General Abukuma shook his head.

Ritsuko's eyes widened. "Or they're already on their way here and we just can't see them. Maya I want you to adjust the scanners to home in on Pattern Orange."

"Nothing beyond the current targets," Maya announced.

"Keep checking." Ritsuko leaned in and glared at Maya's screen. "I don't want those little creeps sneaking in."

"I want those spare batteries ready to be dropped on request, and setup an ammunition drop." Misako keyed to the pilot channel. "Shinju what do you and the Second need?"

"Still have fifteen minutes left, ammunition low, more canister and standard N2. Oneechan'd be nice too." Shinju jumped over the river and went to Asuka, abandoning the ridgeline to the angels. "How long are we to hold?"

"Keep at it, your AT field is eroding their fields. Each time they split, they're getting weaker and easier to kill," Ritsuko assured.

"But there's more of them!" Asuka cried using her Mark 9 as a club before quickly ejecting the shells.

"There are?" Shinju blinked, and scanned the plain across the river.

"Actually, they've topped off at around 128. Just keep hitting them." Ritsuko paused and became more agitated. "Maya, what the hell are you doing? That's the wrong frequency."

"So, what? Just keep blowing up mini-angels?" Asuka asked.

"You wanted to Pilot Evangelion," Shinju replied.

Gasping, Asuka slashed one angel and on the upswing of her spade one got through and clung to Unit 02's left leg. Several more followed and quickly melded. Striking with her shovel, Asuka tried to dislodge them.

"Get 'em off Red! They'll take out your AT field," Shinju shouted.

"I know that," Asuka pried off half of the clingy bumpy mass, and the remainder exploded.

Armor ripped off Unit 02's shin, musculature tore apart, and with a deafening crack the left foot flopped to one side and the red Evangelion fell. Dozens of angels swarmed towards the stricken Unit.

"Get them off!" Asuka screamed as her plug's screens were covered in silvery flesh before they went completely dark. The blinding pain from her... from Unit 02's leg was accompanied by a constant prying and nibbling. "Princess! They're eating me!"

Soon, the creaking gnawing was soon overshadowed by a loud chanting and Asuka almost wished she had not been saved.

"Open your heart. Open your heart. Open your heart! _Open_ your heart!"

The command center's video feed on the battle distorted as Unit 01's AT field flared in insanity and the Unit ran towards the stricken Evangelion. Two N2 warheads on either side of Unit 02 blasted the angelic swarm with debris and pieces of their brethren.

Continuing her mantra Shinju used her Mark 9 as a club. Crossing the distance, she brained, launched, bashed, and lamed scores of angels until there was a snap and she discarded it in exchange for her progressive entrenching tool and knife.

"Is Unit 01 going berserk?" Misako asked as Unit 01 literally waded into the battle. The AT field burned brightly and kept the Israfel at bay.

"Synchronization at eighty-five percent," Makoto stated.

"Other readings are evaluated but..." Ritsuko frowned and looked up at the gore-splattered Unit. "I think it's Shinju."

"Power is dropping. They're going to need those batteries in five," Makoto stated before shifting to one of the cargo transports. "Readying to drop on order."

Misako nodded and then saw the horde shift. "Hah! There it is," she smirked as couple score of the little angels turned and started running to the north-east. "They're making a break for it. Call the admiral."

The ruins of Numazu City lay thirty kilometers away from Tokyo 3. After the initial ridgeline the river plain was relatively flat for several kilometers before the terrain grew more hilly and crossed with river valleys ending with the mountains that surrounded Lake Ashinoko.

The Israfel split, with the bulk of their numbers occupying the two Evangelion while a smaller group started a seemingly panicked run on a direct bearing towards Tokyo 3. Mishima city lay at the midpoint. Its altitude had spared it much of the devastation of the lower lying cities. Its distance from Old Tokyo, despite being a commuter city due to high speed rail, had saved it from that city's destruction.

With the new rail lines it even benefited from the construction and expansion of Tokyo 3 in much the same way it did with Old Tokyo, and the city had even been evacuated before the latest Nerv operation had commenced. However, its fortune ended when the rearmed and refueled Azazel bomber squadron released their loads.

Using penetrator warheads similar to the Mark 9 "red", the bombs cut into the ground before detonating throwing concrete and earth into the air while collapsing buildings, tunnels, and even the streets. Overlapping pressure waves worked to bury and immobilize dozens of the angels, while roasting and scattering just as many.

The slim fraction that escaped the inferno continued their scrambling ascent. Then, their distributed core singing with proximity to their goal, a giant shadow fell over them. Gleaming blue armor shone as Unit 00 leveled "The Big Stick".

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Howling, Asuka flashed her AT field and threw Unit 02 upright, flinging many of the little angels off. Grinning madly she grabbed one in each hand and squeezed. There were two pops as they splattered gore like blood-soaked sponges. "Oh... now you bleed!" Asuka chuckled and rose from the sitting position only to scream as Unit 02's broken leg flopped under her. Growling, Asuka ran one of her bloody hands over the wound, which started to numb.

"Cowards bleed now! Cowards die!" Shinju's voice boomed as Unit 01 patted Unit 02 on the back, and helped the Evangelion to its feet.

Favoring the damaged foot, Asuka picked up her spade and slammed it down on an Israfel causing a bloody splatter. "Finally, stupid things."

"Yes, very bad," Shinju picked up two batteries. "Release externals."

Asuka blinked, and hit the buttons that ejected the spent batteries from her shoulder pylons. "Right, right," she said as she helped Shinju attach the fresh set. "You need help on yours?"

"Already did them." Shinju handed a fresh ammunition satchel and passed "Big J" over.

Asuka checked the gun's load. "Thanks," she said snapping the action shut. She looked over to see Shinju leveling a pristine Mark 9. Free of scratches, it only had a bit of powder discoloration on the ends of the barrels. "New gun?"

"Spare," Shinju hesitated. "Wisky didn't make it."

"Ah," Asuka stepped forward, relieved that Unit 02's leg seemed to be functional, if pained. "They're running? How many are we looking at here?" She took sight and fired a canister shot into a fleeing gaggle of angels. After the smoke and flash from the propellant and warheads cleared there were only smears of blood and still angel-flesh.

"They made a break for Tokyo 3. Onechan and Azazel stopped them. Now they're trying it again." Shinju chuckled and snapped BB-63 "The Mighty Mo" open. "But that won't work."

Her grin on Asuka's HUD caused the redhead to recoil.

Shinju reloaded. "All of you, yes you, are _dead!_" her voice declared over the blasted, blacked terrain.

Asuka shook her head and sighted another clump of angels. "So, it's down to cleanup?"

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Only after the LCL drained from the plug did Asuka relinquish the controls. Though that was primarily due to her violently coughing up the fluid that had filled her lungs. After her plug was ejected and the cockpit section removed, Asuka stumbled out of the seat and onto the catwalk.

Groaning, Asuka pulled herself up and looked at the trio of Evangelion. Unit 00 bore several scorch marks and gashes and the damage went downhill with increasing number. Her own unit was covered in overlapping layers of tears, gouges, burns and sections that were just gone. One of the green eyepieces had been torn out, revealing a shockingly organic-looking orange eye, and the left leg was completely de-armored around the shin.

Wincing as she put weight on her own left leg, Asuka looked up to see her fellow pilots emerge from their cockpits. "Is it always like this?" she asked before coughing up a glob of LCL. "Sorry."

Rei frowned minutely. "Yes."

"But that's okay. You were very adequate today!" Shinju smiled.

Asuka looked down at the younger girl, and sighed. "Yeah... you were good too."

Shinju smiled and walked off with her sister to the locker room.

Asuka shook her head but followed. Getting out of the plugsuit and taking a long shower tempted her forward. Outside the locker room she almost ran in to Captain Ayanami.

Misako looked between the three girls. "You did good. Take some time to cleanup. We've got a debriefing in an hour."

Asuka longingly looked to the showers. "Can't we go back to killing angels instead?"

Misako chuckled. "Just be glad you've just got the one meeting."

"Who are you meeting with?" Shinju asked.

"Strategic review. We want to talk about what this angel did and how our logistics and organization held up."

"It acted with more intelligence," Rei stated.

"Little bastards tried to trap us," Asuka grumbled.

Misako looked to Shinju.

Finding her hair falling in front of her face, Shinju wished she had her headband. "Tactics. It had a goal and tried to keep us from interfering with it."

Misako smiled. "Good girls. Don't underestimate the enemy."

"Even if there's a horde of exploding freaks?" Asuka snorted.

"Yes," Misako stated and went down the corridor.

"How are they?" Ritsuko asked after slipping next to the clone after a T-intersection.

"I thought those suits were wired?"

"They only give physical telemetry. I want to know how they're doing."

Misako shrugged. "You know how hard it is to get a read on my sisters."

Ritsuko smiled thinly. "And Soryu?"

"Tired, bitter, a bit deflated."

"You mean the thing she fixed her entire self identity and self worth on wasn't the dream she thought it was?" Ritsuko shook her head, snickering.

"I thought you were concerned about their mental well being?"

Ritsuko straightened herself. "Nothing wrong with having her ego a bit defeated. We'll just have to make sure she doesn't collapse."

As they walked, Misako nodded. "It helps that she didn't have too many big goofs. She was pretty green, but next mission she'll be better."

Ritsuko stopped in front of the conference room. "So you'll ease up on pressuring Marduk?"

Capitan Ayanami glared flatly.

Ritsuko found herself shivering slightly.

"Look at today. Three units and... three pilots give us no margin. If Israfel had a bit more sense, it could have stalled Rei just like it did the others," Misako explained.

"Agree completely," Admiral Sudoplatov said as he entered the hallway. "All of our resources were pressed today." He gave a toothy smirk. "I trust the pilots are doing well?"

"Yes, they're in the showers right now."

Sudoplatov nodded and slipped past the women and took his seat at the conference table, where he started chatting with the JSSDF officers.

"It's like Ikari without the social graces." Ritsuko muttered.

The albino Misako somehow managed to blanch.

"That was a joke."

"Oh? I suppose we can allow some humor in victory." Fuyutsuki said as he walked up.

Ritsuko's eyes widened-slightly and she turned around.

"It's just me." The former professor adjusted the cuffs of his uniform. "The Commander has a pressing appointment."

"More pressing than this?" Misako's eyes widened with realization. "Ah, the UN. Almost pity him."

Fuyutsuki smiled lightly. "Shall we start the meeting?" He then followed them into the conference room, where the door was closed and locked.

Maya activated one of the wall displays showing an overhead map of the battle and an image of one of the Israfel.

Fuyutsuki tapped the table. "First off. What just happened?"

The assembled officers paused at the misleadingly mild outburst.

"Israfel had the ability to separate itself into hundreds of independent bodies. It's AT field also acted differently. Instead of acting purely as a shield it helped with regeneration. This enabled them to recover from obscene punishment, until their AT fields were sufficiently eroded," Ritsuko explained.

"We've seen flexibility with these AT before," General Yubari noted.

"Correct."

"Previous two angels used AT for propulsion," Beria added.

Ritsuko eyed the Russian. "We've also seen a radical departure in behavior."

Yubari nodded. "Strategy. It was simple, but it was more than we've seen before."

"Flanking, targeting critical assets, and a giant diversion." Misako bit her lip. "That's a lot more than simply marching towards the city."

"The last one attacked the Pacific Fleet. Not Tokyo 3," Sudoplatov's tone was mild but his eyes were piercing.

The conference room fell silent for a few seconds.

"Well doesn't that fit? That time the angel tried to take out an Evangelion. This time it tried to get us to commit all three so it could tie 'em up." Misako exhaled. "These bastards are learning, and they're targeting the Evangelions first."

Fuyutsuki allowed another little smile, and pondered how much the Captain knew. She knew Inspector Ryoji was a courier but did she know what was in that case? Ikari did seem... interested in her, and her biology raised... questions.

"A worrying proposal," Yubari stated.

"Look at what we've gone up against. First one Azazel nukes. Second one tangles with an Evangelion. Next..." Misako's eyes sparkle. "Next we get a giant flying fortress with a beam that fries anything that gets close. After that we get a giant fish thing that tries to takeout our reinforcements. Who knows what it'd have done if the Americans hadn't killed it. And finally we've got an angel that can make its own army and is capable of setting up traps and basic tactics. What's next?"

"We'll need to keep our training up. Continue simulating the enemy have numerical and tactical advantages," General Abukuma stated.

"Resources stressed," Beria stated, drawing wooden reproach from Sudoplatov.

"He's right. We've got plans for being outnumbered, but not like today," Misako looked up at the map and then turned to Fuyutsuki. "We need one of the American Evangelions, at least."

"There was also a shortage of delivery platforms and aerial support." Sudoplatov noted.

"More planes and more missiles are easier to get," Misako stated. "They're all very useful, but Evangelion is at the center of our load-out."

"Despite the expense, another Evangelion would give more options, including a reserve." Yubari conceded, as he made a note to check in with Fairchild and see what progress they had made.

"They're also already under construction. Essentially, a sunk cost. Technically, their relocation is a Nerv matter. Something, Nerv has experience with.," Sudoplatov smiled icily at Fuyutsuki.

Yubari frowned. "We're still short on Pilots."

"Has there been any progress with the auto-pilot system?" General Abukuma asked.

"The Dummy Plug system proceeds." Ritsuko looked through her notes. "We have managed to simulate basic synchronization. However I will caution the risks of leaving such a dangerous technology under remote control."

"Director Project E show rigor? Shocking." Beria deadpanned.

Ritsuko glared at the balding engineer. "The Marduk Institute is also screening candidates. Unfortunately, with the younger Ayanami piloting and the Second Child already here we've exhausted the low hanging fruit."

"We would not have this problem if the Third had not died," Sudoplatov stated.

Once again Ritsuko felt her body chill. Turning she saw Misako quietly staring, her eyes smoldering with rage. Ritsuko coughed. "There's no avoiding casualties."

"They were fairly light today," General Abukuma agreed, helping change the topic. "We lost several observation VSTOL and there was the Nerv personnel that didn't evacuate the power station."

"There were also the civilians that didn't evacuate Mishima City," Yubari added.

Misako glared at the admiral. "Our big failing was not expecting a mob. Our weapons are geared towards taking out small numbers of exceptionally hardened enemies."

"There was the canister shot and the Tu 160 bombers" Abukuma pointed out.

"Reloading speed was too slow, essentially the same problem with the bombers. We've still got a tactical gap."

"Shoulder fired artillery on one side and combat spades on the other?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"Why don't you give them sidearms?" Beria joked.

"Well..." Misako started.

"There was some progress on an autoloader, but Captain Horaki was very skeptical on the design," Ritsuko stated.

"Surprising sense for Nerv," Beria grumbled.

Misako nodded. "Yes she said it was possible, but that it would take a while, something about springs."

"Springs do not scale well," Ritsuko smirked. "That's why the Pallet Rifle was such a mess. Especially the magazines."

"Just skip magazine then."

"What a revolver?" Ritsuko smirked. "Why not give them cowboy hats too?"

"They are using break action double barrel rifles," Misako reminded.

Ritsuko sighed.

"A revolver would have manual indexing." Yubari raised an eyebrow at the confused looks, from the Nerv personnel. "The action is worked by the user. It's much simpler than other actions."

"And more robust." Beria nodded. "Also very few springs, and those would be similar to ones in the Mark 9."

"Don't revolvers have that gap between the cylinder and barrel? That could be a problem when you're shooting... artillery." Misako reminded.

"Bah, you wanted a less powerful weapon to fill gap. This would do it."

Fuyutsuki turned to Ritsuko. "Feasible?"

"Well... " Ritsuko rubbed her forehead. "He's right. It's a very simple design, and one that can scale up. There'd be less pressure allowed but this is supposed to be a less powerful weapon."

"And reloading?"

Ritsuko sighed. "They are called six-guns for a reason."

"Swing out or break would be the best," Yubari suggested. "Loading gate's far too slow, but that's for whoever designs the damn thing."

"Right," Fuyutsuki made some notes. "Dr. Akagi I want you to talk with Horaki in Procurement. We can probably use the same company that makes the spares for our Mark 9's."

Ritsuko nodded. "And if they do well, we can expand that knowledge to get them to build something more modern."

General Yubari cleared his throat. "There is another weapon in development."

"Oh?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"It's a ground attack platform being developed by the Americans," Yubari said, omitting the other nations in the consortium behind the weapon.

Beria looked to Sudoplatov.

"Yes, we've heard about that. It sounded quite expensive, but it might have been useful today." Sudoplatov allowed.

Yubari nodded. "It won't break through an AT field, not a full strength one. But as we learned today, AT fields vary. Even against a strong field it could provide good support."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "So, let Evangelion wear down the AT field and then strike?"

"Correct." Yubari stated. "It's basically an extremely mobile version of several of our ground based systems."

"How far along is the development?" Fuyutsuki asked, wondering how the answer would contrast with his and Ikari's sources.

"They're still doing integration testing, but they project first flight within the month."

"And you were keeping this secret?" Ritsuko eyed the general.

"It's rather experimental. I'm not even sure they can make the damn thing fly." Yubari looked down. "It is being made by the Americans."

Fuyutsuki suppressed a smile. The lie was artfully done. "So... any other weapons people have been secretly planning?"

The conference room quieted down.

"Any saner business then?" He paused. "Right. Well, cooperation is paying off. What we also need is to continue to learn about the enemy."

After a couple seconds Sudoplatov tapped the table. "Yes, we knew the Angels could adapt, but this is a bit unexpected. Perhaps we are being too defensive."

Fuyutsuki chuckled. "I agree totally."

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A child slapped away her toys. "This is boring!" She then pouted.

Her older sibling sighed. "It's important that you learn."

"Why?"

"Do we need to go over what happened to your older sisters?"

Her pout deepened. "They were stupid."

Pity crossed the elder's face. "Yes, they did fail." The toys were picked up and placed in their toy chest. "Do you want to meet their fate? Do you want to be killed?" The questions came as the slim figure sorted though the box."

Picking up one of her toys, the child lowered her eyes and whispered. "No."

Pity returned and the sibling pulled something out of the box. "Do you think you can face this?"

The child screamed and scooted back, putting her arms over her head. "No!" The doll looked like her mother, but twisted and mutilated. It was like her mother's soul had been ripped out, her spine had been cut open, and various bits of dead metal and other _machines_ had been rammed into her body. Worse, it was of mother's flesh but cut up and turned into a... vehicle to be controlled by the enemy's spirit. She whimpered at the sight of the chimera.

The sibling sighed and pulled out another figure. "They get worse."

Now crying, the child curled into a ball and tried to hide. At least the previous monster was of Mother's flesh, if mutilated. This... this was the enemy mockingly bearing mother's form, and the spirit controlling... A grotesque insult to Mother, It was an imitation of the enemy controlling an imitation of mother.

Worse the figure was holding... something. It was small and silver; it was wrong. It was brutal, overwhelming force. The mockeries of Mother were at least alive. They had spirits, but that... device was... dead.

There was no ego; there was no spirit; and yet it somehow could destroy. It was a _machine_, but it could kill. Nothing could stop it, nothing could contain it. Thanks to her teacher, she had seen it all. She clutched the toy in the shape of her eldest sister. She remembered her sister's triumph, the glee at victory, the pride at being able to withstand the pitiful mechanical attacks, and then it happened. Her soul burned; her sister died.

Screaming, she threw the toy away. "No!"

"You're not ready. Your sister Israfel was much further along when she left. You saw what happened to her. You saw what they did to her."

Sandalphon pulled herself up. She then, from her elder's perspective, smoothed her little sundress. Her resolve faulted. "I don't wanna go," she whined lowering her head and drew her knees up to her chest.

Sandalphon's teacher suppressed her own pity. "Don't you want to save your Mother?"

The child whimpered.

"I can help you. There's much you can learn. Mistakes your sisters made."

Sandalphon pulled herself into a smaller ball, metaphorically hiding her face behind her hair.

"I know you want to be with your Mother. We all do. I know you want to make those that hurt her, and killed your sisters pay."

An unintelligible whisper escaped Sandalphon. She repeated it, until it was... audible. "Help."

Adjusting her thin silver framed glasses, the teacher smiled triumphantly and leaned back, basking in the girl's rather cozy quarters. "That's why I'm here," she stepped out of her seat and embraced the young girl. "That's why I found you."

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Mopping his brow, Shiro Tokita stepped inside the Fairchild-Republic research facility. As the air conditioning blasted his suit a solid man in a pair of slacks, white shirt, and skinny black tie walked right up to him. His manner was brisk and for a moment he seemed impatient.

"You must be the feller from NHIS, am I right?" the bald man easily drawled.

"Uh yes... Shiro Tokita and you must be..." Stumbling, Shiro realized that the American was actually shorter than he was.

"That's right, Hiram S. Forsyth. I'm the chief engineer." he flashed a smile. "Have any trouble finding the place?"

Shiro looked around the room, it was the expected collection of workstations though there were more hardhats and work gear strewn on the coat racks. "No... security pretty-much drove me in."

Hiram raised an eyebrow. "Yah been briefed right?"

"Oh yes. I read the proposal. Interesting support stuff," Shiro coughed. The angels had attacked, and once again, Nerv and those Russians had stopped it, at horrendous cost. Shiro did not have much hope, but if this project could give him some bit of revenge, then it would be worth it.

Shaking his head, Hiram chuckled and walked to his office. "Come on, I think we've got something for yah."

Shiro blinked at the austere room. There were two desks that bore several neat stacks of papers, a computer, several large toolboxes, and a disassembled tripod in one corner.

"Be right back," Hiram stepped into the hallway.

Pacing the room, Shiro stuck his head out into the hallway and watched the engineer remove two bottles from an old-fashioned vending-machine.

Flopping into his desk-chair Hiram motioned for Shiro to take the seat in front of him. He then offered one of the bottles and smoothed out his tie.

Reading the English text, Shiro wondered what kind of beer this was, and was slightly relieved at the office's casual nature.

"Now I know you," Hiram drawled. "You fronted that robot. Whoooowee. They beat you like a rented mule over that didn't they boy?"

Shiro popped the cap off his beer. "There's a reason they sent me out to the middle of the desert to liaison with you guys. They said 'it fit my experience'. "

Hiram laughed. "They're part right."

Shiro narrowed his eyes. "I've read the proposal. It's a pipe-dream. NHIS agreed to throw some money at it because you were the only company that would even hire us."

Hiram exhaled. "It's true. Fairchild wasn't doing too good. Even with the military buildup after Second Impact we just barely hung in."

"It took us years and billions to make something... something that a little girl broke in ten minutes. What do you think you can do in a few months with some Ukrainian leftovers and other bits of failure?"

Hiram took a swig from his bottle and stood up. "Nice to see you've got the right attitude," he drawled as he pulled two yellow hardhats off their hooks.

He tossed one to Shiro and looked the man up and down. "Got anything better than that suit?"

Putting his hardhat on Shiro blinked. "What?"

Hiram shrugged. "Try not to get too messy then." The engineer then slipped off his boots and pulled a set of brown overalls over his slacks and shirt. He then slipped his boots back on and methodically tightened the laces before tying them off. "Got anything with a heavy toe?"

Shiro shook his head.

"Careful then. Oh, hose the tie," Hiram lectured as he pulled his off. "Don't want it to get caught in a machine."

Shiro paused and eventually pulled his tie off.

Hiram handed a set of goggles and earplugs over. "And put these on when the time's right." He then put his pair around his neck and put his helmet on.

"Where is everyone?" Shiro asked as they walked back into the open office space.

Hiram chuckled. "Why they're getting good seats for the demonstration."

"You're doing a demonstration today? But the schedule..."

The engineer opened a door and lead the NHIS rep through a long corridor, workstations were on one side and rows and rows of shelving containing, binders, print outs, data drives, electronic equipment and bits of machined metal on the other. "Schedule?" Hiram snorted. "This is war, boy."

"Yes, but a project of this size..." Following Hiram, Shiro ducked under a pipe and through a door. Entering the blazing sun they crossed a small breezeway before entering another building.

Here the doors alternated between thick steel with heavy bolts around the frame for the test cells, and lighter metal for the various control rooms. Through thick glass, Shiro glanced at the empty stations with their idling computers and cooled test rigs.

On the far side of this building, the test cells grew in size. At the very end the doors were two-story circular hatches that rolled to one side on recessed tracks. One was open, showing a cavernous room that could easily serve as a tractor-rig garage. Having worked on Jet Alone, Shiro was rather deadened to such things. Then they went down a passage that connected the test cells to the assembly floor.

A combination of machine shop, assembly line, and hanger, the assembly floor was a cavernous room that stretched into the distance. Overhead cranes and scaffolding and machinery dotted the landscape. The clear "aisles" were particularly conspicuous given the extreme width. Shiro spotted a few workers at the far end of the floor and nodded. At least this was not a ghost town.

"We don't do any of the Hot work here. That'll be Building 716. This is just assembly and retrofit. Lessa the latter once Antonov starts building to spec."

Shiro whistled. "Custom? How many do you expect to make?"

"As many as we can sell." Hiram patted Shiro on the shoulder and led him off the assembly floor and to a large tarmac. In the shade of an overhang several bleachers, tables, coolers, and notably, smoking grills had been set up. Generally enjoying themselves, workers milled about repeatedly returning to the refreshments.

Looking at the filled benches, Shiro felt a homesick pang. While they looked less reserved and formal he immediately recognized them as fellow defense industry engineers and technicians. Though the ones in aprons happily slathering sauce on pungent meats were a bit strange.

Grinning Hiram strutted up to a podium in front of the crowd which quickly fell to a hush "Alright fellas. Nippon sent their man here. Whadaya say we show him what we've built?"

There was a cheer from the crowd.

"Show 'em what we did with the boys from Austin!" one of the technicians shouted before biting into a rib.

Hiram smirked. "I'll be off then." He turned to the blinking Shiro. "Come on, gadget's not too far.

"Austin? As in Austin Advanced Technology?" Shiro asked as they walked to a small electric cart.

"What of it?" Hiram sat down and started the motor.

"You're doing a firing test? Today?"

"I told you we were ahead of schedule." Hiram said as they raced down to a squat concrete building and the giant... thing in front of it.

Immense, it was a chunky metal frame fourteen feet tall, twenty feet wide with curved sides and an impressive seventy-two feet long. The assembly was formed out of a riotous mass of heavy wires, tubular framing, giant grey electronics, and rows of fire-hydrant sized capacitors. All this straddled a bundle of five matte-black barrels that ran the full length of the assemblage. Feeding the thick and lobed barrel was a flex-linkage that connected to an immense drum the size of a small truck. Cables thicker than saplings, for both power and coolant, ran from the assemblage and into the concrete building. However Shiro's attention was on the large garbage-can sized aperture that lay beneath the black barrel.

"What did you do to my inductive cannon?" Shiro asked once the cart stopped.

"Even when given a third of a million pounds of payload capacity to play with, it's amazing how quickly ya'll blow through it." Hiram jumped out of the cart and ran to the device, scattering some of the engineers inspecting it. "Aw hell, what's all this? I was just telling Tokita that we're ready."

A technician holding a flashlight and a wrench swallowed. "Just finishing final inspection."

Hiram glared and grabbed the wrench and flashlight. "That so?" He asked kneeling down and crawling under the assembly. "If you screwed up. I'm gonna tear you down, junior!"

For a couple minutes Hiram slid around under the rig and checking the parts. "Hey Shiro. Ya'll wanna take a look at this?"

Shiro looked down at the stained concrete and sighed.

"We had to tweak the coolant system on your cannon."

Shaking his head, Shiro went down and shimmied under the test platform. Looking up he blinked at the barrel ring and the conduits that plugged in down the length. "Do these things rotate?"

"Good eye, boy. There ain't a slip-ring alive that'll take the power. So the barrels are fixed and we just rotate the feeder. Basically it just spins inside the barrel ring and whenever a breach opens it rams a fresh dart in. Requires precise timing on the breaches but heck, precise timin's a given with this rig. Thank goodness it ain't got no cases to eject."

Shiro simply nodded and turned his attention to the induction cannon. He exhaled sharply.

"Problem boy?" Hiram asked has he thumped his wrench against a gleaming heat exchanger

"You stripped it down..." Shiro's eyed darted to the various subsystems. The weapon seemed complete if... scattered.

"Had to, wouldn't fit otherwise. Guess we could have just had the cannon but that'd be silly" Hiram chuckled.

"Yes, silly." Shiro deadpanned. After studying, the tons of machinery looming above his head he sighed. "I guess it's okay. I'm not getting the urge to run screaming out into the desert."

"Power's turned off, boy," Hiram said reproachfully as he inspected a few connections.

"Oh yes," Shiro slid out from under the weapon. Frowning he dusted his suit. "Once you power it up, then I'll run."

Sitting up, Hiram eyed the younger man. "Ya' ain't that dumb are yah?"

Shiro raised an eyebrow.

"Though you didn't ask how we're powering the dang thing." Hiram shook his head and stood up. "Right boys! Heat it up and plug it in."

"Ah." Eyeing the other hulking metal assemblage that sat inside the concrete building Shiro edged towards the cart.

"That's about right." Hiram jumped into the driver's seat. "When you boys have final check done, get secure and give me a ring," he said as Shiro took the passenger seat.

After returning to the barbeque, Hiram went to one of the coolers and pulled out a beer. "Want one?"

"God yes." Not taking his eyes from the weapon, Shiro grabbed the beer.

"Don't see why you're worried."

Shiro gave a flat look. "The last demonstration I was at didn't go over that well."

"Buck up!" Hiram slapped him on the back.

A woman tottered over to the engineer in her rose-pink high heels. She wore an above-the-knee, sleeveless dress that matched her shoes. Glossy black hair was held in a bouffant style, puffy in the back, forward arcing bangs over big dangling earrings, and held down in the front with a plain pink headband. "Sir, they've got the gadget wired and warmed," she said handing a blocky remote control to Hiram.

The engineer smiled at the control. "Cream gravy. You go tell the boys at the blockhouse to get those targets up, Honey."

Nodding, the woman then spun on her heels and walked off.

"Good woman, her son's a punk, but she's alright." Hiram said.

Shiro fiddled with his goggles. "Right..." Suddenly, a sharp siren rang out three times. Each blast echoing between the buildings. Shiro watched as far in the distance several steel and concrete blocks rose up out of the ground. To be this clear at that distance, Shiro estimated that they had to be house-sized, at least. His stomach growing cold, he noted that they were front of the weapon, and there were no buildings behind them, only a massive earthen berm.

"Eyes!" Hiram screamed. "Everyone put your goggles and hearing protection on!" Laughing evilly, he extended the antennae on the remote and... waited. Three more sirens echoed, and only then did Hiram flip the safety cover off, revealing two shining red buttons.

The left button clicked, and a lance of light shot out from the gadget's lower weapon. The inductive cannon's beam melted through several of the blocks and bored into the berm. Concrete and armor went flying. Hiram lifted his finger and the beam vanished. "Not bad at all." He said to cheering from the crowd.

Despite himself, Shiro lifted his beer in salute and took a little bow.

"This one's ours, now!" Hiram then pressed the second button. This time the light show was more muted. The massive air friction incurred on the hardened two inch diameter metallic darts as they traveled at over twenty times the speed of sound generated quite vivid plasma plumes. Pulsing rays of burning air and metal were not the same as a coherent beam of sun-bright light. One was a purifying heavenly ray, the other a stabbing, enraged sulfurous maelstrom.

This was not a singular event. Each barrel could fire seventeen rounds a second. With five barrels this gave a total rate of fire of five thousand one hundred rounds a minute.

Under that barrage, massive blocks of reinforced concrete blew apart into crumbling chunks, foot thick composite armor plates were blown through, and the berm itself was chewed apart and nearly cut in twain.

And Hiram only had the button depressed for a few seconds. "Whoooowee! Makin' bacon!"

Shiro stared. Even the crowd was hushed. "Making bacon!" He enthusiastically blurted. Despite the distance and hearing protection, his ears still rang. "Sir, I have no idea what that even **means **in this context, but it fits so well!'

Hiram grinned and gave knowing nod. "Now that there was a fine piece 'a work. Let's give her another dance!" Hiram laughed manically and pressed the button again. The Gatling railgun bellowed a churning mechanical noise as once again it belched out high-hypersonic explosive darts by the gross.

Chuckling Hiram released the button and with a flourish put the safety covers back on and retracted the antennae. He pulled off his goggles and addressed the crowd. "Job well done!"

Chest pounding, Shiro peeled off his goggles and removed the ear plugs. "Impressive. But can it take out an Angel?"

"I'd lay you out those little buggers that just attacked."

"And a big angel?"

"That's what those robots are for. Have one of them take down those fancy shields and goodnight Irene."

Shiro chuckled, relishing putting Evangelion in that position. "So, how are you going to aim it?"

"Are you simple? Aimin's what the plane's for, Son. Got some hydraulics but that's just fine control."

Shiro coughed and shook his head. "And that was with the onboard power-plant."

Hiram smirked.

"So you've got power, weapons, and the airframe. What's next engines? Assembly? Avionics?"

"Cooling too." Hiram put an arm around Shiro. "So, you think NHIS is interested?"

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Slumping on her couch, Asuka groused at the sharp pain in her side. Muttering, she undid her belt and placed her holster on the table. Then she closed her eye and leaned into the cushion. In the distance she could hear music and excited voices, but she pushed them out. For several minutes, she simply enjoyed being dry, enjoyed the quiet: no explosions, no screaming, not even any debriefing, just distant merry voices.

A knock on the door drew her attention. Her eyes opened and she lifted her head up. The knock repeated. "What?" Asuka blinked, a bit shocked at how loud her voice was.

The door to her apartment unlocked and Katrina stepped in. The scarred Russian Military officer looked at the young girl, curled up on her side and something akin to a smile crossed her face. "I'm just checking on you, Warrant Soryu."

"I'm fine," Asuka put her head back down. "Just unwinding."

Locking the door behind her, Lieutenant Diebner stepped into the apartment and took a seat facing Asuka's couch. "Today you got what you wanted."

Keeping her body sideways, Asuka raised an eyebrow at the woman and barked out a single laugh.

"Not what you expected?"

Asuka's laughed again. "No, I secretly knew, Ikari was Santa Claus!"

Katrina stared.

"You didn't know? He gives presents to all the good little Pilots." Asuka snickered. "At least now I know where Princess gets those creepy dolls, and where Wondergirl's trashy romance novels come from. It's kind of sad in a way."

"For him or for them?"

Asuka rolled her eyes.

"And what did he give you?"

Shaking her head, Asuka looked to the ceiling. "I don't know what's worse. That that old bastard bought me a set of brushes or that they're actually rather nice."

"Oh?"

"Yes a bunch of brushes, engraved bronze handles. I think Princess has a set in silver or something. It's just... odd. It's like he's reading off a list of things 'girls like' and handing out whatever comes up."

Katrina shrugged. "I was asking about the battle. Was that what you expected?"

"No, one expected that cluster-fuck."

"There was a lot of the enemy."

"And the best part? I'll only get one halo." Laughing, Asuka rolled onto her back. "And why not? It's only fair. Princess only got one too. And those planes that bombed us get one. Everyone gets a halo!"

Katrina leaned back. "I see."

"Do you? Last I checked you've never killed dozens of exploding aliens with a giant robot." Asuka ran a finger along her holster. "Oh... I lied."

Katrina's eyes narrowed as she shifted her hands. "Yes?"

"Someone expected this." Asuka gave that brittle laugh. "Princess...." The redhead stopped, and silent rolled back onto her side.

"What about the Fourth?"

Asuka closed her eyes.

"Are you saying she knew what the Angel was going to do?"

The redhead shook her head. "She expected some type of trick. She's the one that warned me. She knew the bombers were coming, and she carried me..."

Katrina winced. "You'd have done the same for her. You did warn her when the angels were about to flank her."

"I wasn't a total load. Yay."

"You're green. What did you expect?" Katrina's tone sharpened.

Asuka turned back to stare at the ceiling. "I guess I was better than Princess' first run."

"Training would do that."

"And did training make Princess?"

"Oh?"

Asuka turned her head and gave Katrina a half-lidded gaze. "You watched the battle. You know what she sounded like. Does that sound like a normal little pre-teen?"

"Coming from the thirteen year old collegiate Nerv officer."

Asuka sighed. "You can't deny she's weird."

Katrina shrugged. "She's an Ayanami."

"And how much of her insanity is from that and how much of it is from that shaved bear you call a comrade?"

The short-haired blonde blinked. She then laughed. "Oh my... yes, sometimes I don't know what Captain Sakharov was thinking."

"She's... aggressive. Not that it was bad." Asuka closed her eyes. "It's just a bit much."

"You're afraid of becoming like her?"

This time Asuka's laugh was almost natural. "I'm not going to go that far, and I'm never going to be some cute-obsessed little princess."

Katrina laughed. "Yes, she's much too ladylike."

"Hey!" Asuka pulled herself back up.

"You deny it?" Katrina tapped her chin. "Very well. I shall buy you some ruffled dresses, then. Perhaps something with lace for your hair."

Asuka blinked. "You know my dress size?"

Katrina shrugged. "You have no privacy."

The redhead smoldered. "That's creepy."

"If it helps, Nerv is far more intrusive. How do you think Nozomi's sister was able to help Rei find that dress?" The Azazel officer turned, looked up at the smoke detector and the black circle on its cover, and waved. "The microphones are more insidious. Can almost respect the skill there," she remarked offhanded.

Gaping, Asuka looked around her apartment.

"You are valuable."

Asuka shivered.

"You act like Nerv's unpleasantness is new to you."

Images of Second Branch officers being executed, by Misako, flashed before the redhead. "Oh, I know. This is just... there's nothing I can do about this?"

Again, Katrina shrugged. "Anything you remove, Section Two will replace. Cause enough disturbance and Captain Ayanami will reprimand you."

"Great... let's just forget how little privacy I have."

Katrina nodded. "So would you prefer I buy you a fluffy gown or something more casual?"

Asuka twitched. "I'm not that girly."

Katrina sniffed. "Well, you should wear something nice."

Blinking, Asuka looked down at her bloused pants and horizontal stripped shirt. "Huh?"

"For the party."

Asuka slowly lowered herself down on the couch. "Crazy Prussian Commie."

Katrina sighed. "Be that as it may. There is a party, and you should go."

"Ugh. Another? I thought I was done with formal stuff today."

Katrina chuckled. "Oh no, this is casual. Every time the Pilots kill an angel, we hold a party. It was Pyotr's idea."

"Pyotr.... that's Wondergirl's Russian. He came up with a party? She talks more than he does!"

"One doesn't need to be a chatterbox to enjoy good drink and good comrades."

"So, I can drink here?"

"Within reason, we can't risk your readiness, but I see no problem."

"Japan's laws are stricter than Germany's, and we're on duty."

"Yes, soldiers never drink illicitly," Katrina deadpanned. "And technically we're both off duty. Plenty of our men will be sober, and guarding the rest." She smirked.

"They must love that." Asuka stood up and stretched.

"It's a good motivator."

"Might as well go." Asuka started walking towards her bedroom. "The Ayanami sisters will be there won't they?"

"First and Fourth, yes. I don't know if the Captain is free."

Asuka shook her head and went to her bedroom. She opened her closet and looking past "the gown" she pulled out a billowy, knee-length yellow dress. She then got a set of grey heels and a plain black choker.

Smoothing the dress out on her bed, Asuka inspected the fabric. It had been dry cleaned after Gaghiel's attack and demise but....

Turning away from the dress she gravitated towards the closet. Her eyes passed over the gown to the long boots that sat on the floor. Knee high, with full length lacing the suede red leather boots had a couple inches of heels and blunted toes.

Smirking lightly, she swapped out the grey heels with the boots. After pacing around the selected clothes, Asuka went to her dresser. She briefly frowned at the collection of knives, magazines, holsters and other bits that cluttered the surface.

Shrugging, Asuka picked up a cross draw holster and opened a drawer to pull out a gold sash. She then placed both on top of her dress. Nodding happily at the composition she went back to her dresser where she dug out a jade cameo. Picking up the choker band she held the cameo and looked at her dress's neckline.

Asuka closed her eyes and exhaled. Turning around, she looked back into her closet. The gown hung, smugly; its high collar and ruffled tie inviting; gold sleeves matched her sash; and red skirting would complement her boots.

"Fine." Asuka pulled the gown off its hanger and laid it over her yellow dress. The gown had two layers of skirting. The under skirt was thicker and went to mid-thigh, while the over skirt was translucent, pleated, and was hemmed in alternating points that went past her knee. Having a crimson body, the gown had somewhat puffy and gathered shoulders that transitioned to golden sleeves.

Giving another sigh, Asuka stripped out of her clothes and changed. As she expected the dress flattered her figure, and after she pulled on the boots she found that they ended above the hem of the translucent skirt, but below the solid underskirt.

Putting on the sash and the cross holster she went to the mirror and smirked at her reflection. "Yes, much better than some girly little princess," she said picking up a brush enjoying the heft the solid metal handle gave. She then ran it through her hair.

Katrina knocked on the door. "Any trouble?"

Asuka smirked. "Oh, I'm done."

The door opened, and Katrina stepped through. "Well, you're not a girly princess at least."

"Oh?"

"Princess, yes. Girly no. Though..."

"What?"

"Are you sure about your hair?"

Asuka narrowed her eyes. "Hair advice from you?"

"Well, I did have a life before I signed on." Katrina ran a hand through her short blonde hair.

"And what do you suggest?" Asuka skeptically asked.

"Have you ever worn it up?"

Looking at her reflection, the redhead smiled slightly. "That would look more mature."

"We still have time?"

"There's nothing wrong with being fashionably late."

"Tell me more about this updo. It will be fun to see the Princess and Wondergirl at a party. They don't strike me as very... social."

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Smiling slightly, Shinju leaned back in an oversized chair and watched the merriment. In one corner of the apartment a trio were playing the drums, violin and balalaika. Sipping, her juice she enjoyed the happy chatter and music. She was in her new black and purple dress. Once she had figured out the ruffles and the petticoats, it had been easy enough to fit into. As she happily lounged, she saw someone come inside form the patio.

Extinguishing his pipe, Igor lumbered towards the Pilot. Grinning he pointed to the band and then to Shinju. "Good fight! Come sing with me! "Ej, uhnem! Ej, uhnem! Ese razik, ese da raz!"

The band members nodded and started playing Song of the Volga Boatmen.

Shinju laughed and sang along. "Ej, uhnem! Ej, uhnem! Ese razik, ese da raz! Razov'em my berezu, Razov'em my kudravu!"

The two continued to sing. "As the barges float along. To the sun we sing our song. Ay-da, da, ay-da! Ay-da, da, ay-da! To the sun we sing our song. Hey, hey, let's heave a-long the way to the sun we sing our song Yo, heave ho! Yo, heave ho! Once more, once again, still once more." One in clumsy school-girl Russian, the other with literate eloquence. However both sang well, Shinju's mezzo soprano complementing Igor's gravely bass.

Soon the other Azazel troops joined in, filling the room with triumphant singing. "Volga, Volga our pride. Mighty stream so deep and wide. Ay-da, da, ay-da! Ay-da, da, ay-da! Volga, Volga you're our pride."

In the final stanza the others trailed off leaving only Igor and Shinju. "Yo, heave ho! Yo, heave ho! Once more, once again, still once more."

Then Igor stopped.

"Ej, uhnem! Ej, uhnem!" Shinju sang, lingering on the last word. She then blinked at the silent staring soldiers. Looking down she saw that she had stood up on the chair sometime during the song. Back up she saw the expectant, hushed faces. Her hand twitching slightly she reached down for her glass. She then raised it into the air. "We are killers!"

The Azazel Navel Infantry raised their glasses and cheered in response.

Igor slapped Shinju on the back. "You fought well today! Killed many tiny baby enemies."

Shinju grinned and climbed down from the chair and looked up to see Oneechan.

"You're wearing the dress." Rei observed.

"Isn't it nice?" Shinju lifted up the layered black and purple skirting.

Rei looked down to her own white dress. "There are a lot of ribbons." Rei's dress only had a couple bows at the hips and chest.

"You made me buy it."

"Yes." Rei turned to the band where Igor was belting out the vocals to Kalinka.

Shinju stepped over and put her arms around Rei. "Thank you."

Rei stiffened but returned the gesture.

"It was good having you in battle today, and I really like the dress." Shinju leaned on her sister.

Rei squeezed Shinju before releasing the smaller girl. "Good."

The door to the apartment opened and a redhead stepped in. "So, this is how the Russians party?"

Shinju blinked. She had expected the red and gold dress, with its translucent skirt and long boots, but the hair...

Asuka's long crimson hair was styled up in a multi-tiered bun. After four decreasing levels the updo, terminated in a heavy braid that spilled down her neck and looped up to be draped over her shoulder to hang in front of her chest.

"Oh, shiny!" Shinju's eyes lit up.

Smirking, Asuka leaned to Katrina. "I told you that was too much product."

Katrina chuckled. "But it's holding your hair in place so well."

"It's very... daring." Shinju stepped towards the redhead.

"Yes." Asuka straightened her sash.

Rei gave a small nod. "It suits you," she said before walking off to the patio to look up at the moon.

"Did... she just compliment me?"

"Yes," Katrina deadpanned.

"It is very shiny. Really fits your dress."

Asuka looked down at Shinju's black gown with its purple ribbons, ruffled sleeves, and layered skirt. "You look good too. Very... fitting."

Shinju blushed.

Eyeing the puffy decolletage on Shinju's chest, Asuka idly wondered if the fourth child had enhanced her support garments. "So this is an Azazel party?"

"For Azazel Naval Infantry, yes. The Air Wing Pilots are supposed to be coming later," Katrina explained.

Igor bounded over. "You hear Shinju? You'll get to meet Zel'dovich again."

Shinju blushed once more.

"What? The fighter Pilot?" Asuka asked.

"He's tied with Shinju on the kill board. Only two to go and she'll be an Ace," Igor proudly boasted.

"Ace." Asuka hissed through her teeth.

"It's not your fault you deployed late," Katrina said handing Asuka a glass.

The second child sniffed the clear liquid. "Vodka? Really?"

"Please, you're one of humanity's heroes. Nothing but the best for you," Katrina assured.

Asuka took a small sip and shrugged. "It's okay."

"I'll get you some refreshments," Katrina stepped into the kitchen and to a table covered in food and various bottles.

"Laying it on a bit thick?" Igor whispered in Russian next to her.

"You think you're the only one that can dote over your girl?" Katrina smirked. "She had a victory today. She didn't screw up. Let her have this moment."

"Morale is vital for a unit's spirit." Igor emptied a tumbler. "Ahh. But no. I meant her makeup. Was your older sister not a stylist for Deutscher Fernsehfunk?"

"Yeah Gretchen primped the talking heads on State-Media, but I only did her hair."

Igor chuckled.

"And what about you? Shinju's Russian is getting better. She's going to figure you out."

Grinning, Igor switched languages "Japanese very hard and Azazel never hire stupid officer for such important task."

Katrina shook her head.

"I don't think she'd care. I wasn't lying. That little girl's just like us."

"Except she has a forty meter tall war machine." Katrina chuckled and picked up the platter and headed back to the living room.

Shinju had returned to her large chair, and Asuka sat on a couch next to her.

"Yeah they did bomb us." Taking another sip, Asuka looked to the cluster of Naval Infantry across from her.

Shinju nodded. "A flock of white swans. Very pretty."

"Pretty? Swans? Princess, what the hell are you talking about?

" Tu-160 bomber. Called the white swan due to its white anti-flash paint. Its supposed to reflect some of the heat from a nuclear blast," Katrina explained as she put the platter down on the table.

"Heaviest combat aircraft in the world," Igor nodded.

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "They destroyed two cities."

"You destroyed a mountain."

"Only because the enemy was on it!"

"It worked."

Asuka grinned. "As long as you don't call me adequate."

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"You seem unusually... chipper." Fuyutsuki looked up from his report.

Gendo leaned back. "You enjoy insubordination don't you?" he asked with a ghost of a smile.

"Allow an old man his pleasures." The professor turned a page. "What happened? Did the Fourth give you a hug?"

"I did give the Pilots gifts."

Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow. "And did the Second like her gift?"

"I wonder if Captain Horaki is losing her touch."

"Because she wasn't as enthusiastic as the others?"

"Rei? The First is many things, enthusiastic does not lie among them."

"Please, she treasures her gifts more than the Fourth does. Shinju merely keeps the dolls on her dresser. Rei carries those books around and reads them every day. Do you know what the last piece of fiction she read before this was?"

"Humor me."

"It was a book about puppies and pie, when she was still learning how to read."

"And your point?"

"Well, I won't dare criticize the wisdom of introducing the idea of romance to Rei. However, my larger point is that Asuka is not like the others. She won't treasure what you give her, because to her you're just her boss." Fuyutsuki looked to the picture frame on Gendo's desk.

"No, your larger point was that I was 'chipper'."

"Well aren't you?"

"Israfel displayed unexpected abilities. The angels are getting smarter."

"And despite this, our rookie pilot preformed well enough, our veterans were their usual professional selves, and Nerv was able to achieve victory."

"We needed a lot of support." Gendo's tone clashed with his little smile.

"Yes, support. The word says it all doesn't it? Azazel acted to support Nerv. Everyone's a big team, nobly defending humanity."

"With Nerv taking the senior role." Gendo smirked.

"Giving us the authority to continue operations."

"And the funding to achieve our goals."

Fuyutsuki looks out the window. "And our goals?"

Gendo gave a slight smile.

"And our obstacles?"

"The Old Men remain predictable."

"And the Russians?"

"We have to make sure their goals do not interfere with ours."

Turning back, Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow at Gendo. "Oh? You can arrange that?"

Gendo folded his hands.

"Non-interference requires knowing what their goals are."

"So, we've had a breakthrough?" Fuyutsuki's mind went to Gendo's comment during the battle.

"You could say that."

"Is this a new source?"

"Not solely. Combine it with a realization."

Fuyutsuki chuckled. "An epiphany, from you?"

"Be it Czarist, Communist, or Chekist they are a proud, suspicious people far more concerned with starvation and invasion than the ecclesiastical. There are only a few things Azazel could want." Gendo flashed his teeth.

"But, surely our plans are mutually exclusive towards theirs?"

"Are they?"

Fuyutsuki raised his eyebrows. "Has the plan changed then?"

"I've said it before: to survive we must adapt. That is what places us above the Old Men. That is how we will defeat the Angels. That is how we will achieve our goals."

End Chapter 5

Writer's Notes:

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray and Kevin D. Hammel.

The scene with Kaji and his source does have some rather... blatant lines being reused.

That was something I wanted to do since the start of the story.

Speaking of blatant(ish) things, I was considering using Isana, since Insana's a bit on-the-nose... but apparently, Insana is a more common name. I was shocked and horrified.'

I'd also like to thank the TV Tropes people for their, near obsessive, attention to detail for their work on The Return's entry. Give it a read, they've put a lot of work into it, especially the character page.


	6. Quality Control

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Sunshine Temple

Here's the disclaimer of non-ownership: Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Team Fortress 2 is owned by Valve. The Spoony Experiment is owned by Noah Antwiler

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

.Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Six: Quality Control.

The Sukhoi 33 was powered by two Saturn AL-31 engines. Each produced sixteen thousand pounds of thrust, which when combined and with afterburners enabled resulted in over fifty five thousand pounds of thrust. Precision machined parts work in extremely close tolerance to generate this power while being pounded by air hot enough to make the blades and vanes glow red. Manufacturing precision and material quality is crucial, since half the components rotated several thousand times a minute.

The spinning caused immense centrifugal forces as the rotating sections fought to keep themselves from tearing apart, all while compressing, burning and exploiting a constant stream of air. Until something failed in the starboard engine.

A crack grew in the root of the second stage compressor disk, and rapidly spread. Holding the compressor blades, the disk was a heavy, but perfectly balanced, chunk of metal that took torque from the shaft and used it to rotate blades that rammed air deeper into the engine.

Now there was no balance. As the crack grew the engine began to wobble as the disk shuddered in its rotation. Before the bearings could be damaged the disk ruptured. In an instant, a fine tuned precision instrument turned into shrapnel. Shards of metal shot through the plane with the force of a tractor trailer hitting a bicycle.

The Saturn AL-31 had a protective shroud that would keep minor damage, such as ingestion and blade loss contained, but those features lacked the raw mass and kinetic energy of disk fragments.

In that same instant the port engine was destroyed almost as thoroughly as its sister. The wings and tail fared somewhat better, having only crippling structural damage instead of total.

The pilot already on alert, saw all his indicators trip as his plane tore herself apart behind him. The decision was automatic. "Engine failure." Captain Yakov Koval clinically announced on his radio. "Eject. Eject. Eje-" There was a sharp pain and he punched out of his disintegrating aircraft.

Seeing where the twin contrails blew into a disjointed mess, Shinju looked up and tracked the flaming wreck's descent. Unit 01's targeting computer highlighted the plane, and placed a reticle over a smaller object that shot up over the wreck.

"Pilot spotted clear of aircraft. Chute..." Shinju paused. "Chute has deployed."

"Holle! Did someone shoot one of the planes?" Asuka asked as the collection of twisted burning scrap fell towards the earth with deceptive grace.

"I confirm chute." Captain Zel'dovich stated with clinical detachment.

"Hold all weapons." Misako ordered. "The exercise is over. I want search and rescue launched now.

Holstering an Evangelion-scale revolver, Unit 01 turned towards the distant parachute and took a step forward. "Permission to recover." Shinju stated.

"Granted." From the command center, Misako looked at the map. The Evangelions were closest. Technically Zel'dovich's Su-33 was closer but there was nowhere for him to land. "We haven't heard anything from Yakov. Expect trauma."

"Understood." Ejecting the external power cord, Unit 01 broke into a sprint; Shinju's eyes held on the parachute and its dangling load.

Misako sighed. "Rei, go and secure the crash site. May as well capture whatever footage you can. Asuka backup Shinju. Odds are you'll need to get out of your Eva to help the Pilot."

Unit 01's sprint ate kilometers of terrain. Soon Shinju saw the parachute spread over a rice field and followed it back to the cockpit module. Cameras zoomed in and found the Azazel captain still.

"Cover me," Shinju ordered Asuka as she brought Unit 01 to a kneel and force ejected the plug. Both the rope ladder and a drop line spooled out of the plug. Slinging a survival kit over her shoulder, Shinju scrambled out of the cockpit.

Not looking at the ground twenty meters below her, she clipped the drop line to her plug suit's harness, threaded a belay device over the cable and then grasping the line with both hands swung over the edge.

Rapidly rappelling down the cable, she felt her hands burn up. The frictional heat searing through her gloves. She hit the ground with a muddy splash and ignoring the pain ran to the Azazel pilot.

Training flashed in her mind and she knelt down over the man, still buckled in his seat. She frowned at the bloody, but not bleeding, back to front wound on the left side of his chest. Reaching out she tried to find a pulse or a sign of breath, but while the man's flesh was still warm there were no other signs of life.

Giving a slight whimper, Shinju stepped back. Straightening her shoulders she looked around her area, confirmed that Unit 02 was looming above her, and only then took out her radio. "Shinju here. Captain Koval is dead." Listening to Oneesan's response she finally noticed the pain in her palms.

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Ritsuko commented as she finished the light, loose bandage over Shinju's palms. "She's going to be okay. The gloves took up all the abrasion; she only got the conducted heat."

Standing across from her in the Eva-bay medical facility Misako glared at the diminutive clone. "The drop-line is for emergencies."

Shinju looked up. "Doesn't that count?" Her hands twitched. "I could have helped him."

Ritsuko exhaled. "Shinju, a piece of shrapnel shredded Capitan Koval's left lung and a bunch of his arteries. The only thing you could have done was watch him die."

The Fourth Child's eye hardened. "He wouldn't have died alone then."

Misako shook her head. "You still went down the line too fast. What if you couldn't have controlled your landing? What if he'd been alive, but you'd have broken your leg, or worse."

Shinju frowned. "That was my mistake."

"Stubborn little thing," Ritsuko noted.

"It's in the blood." Misako idly straightened Shinju's hair band.

"Yes, and that gives us a positive note. She should be perfectly fine in just a couple days."

"Really, the burns?"

Ritsuko chuckled. "Remember how badly Rei was beat up after Unit 00 went berserk?"

"Yeah, it took her a month to recover."

"A normal human would have taken fifty percent longer."

Misako smirked. "So, there's an actual upside to these buggy clone bodies?"

"Yes, yes," Ritsuko said as she revised Shinju's prescription "You're designed to synchronize, that's what was important."

"Angels heal don't they," Shinju noted.

Misako raised an eyebrow.

Ritsuko's expression quickly turned to a smirk. "So do Evangelions. Unit 02's leg recovered awfully quick."

"Wait... that's how we were modified? We're part Evangelion?"

"Yes, be a little louder. Let's test the door's sound-proofing." Ritsuko sighed. "No, you're not miniature Evas. Your modifications are at the genetic level, it was all done before you were born... well grown in a tube."

"You really know how to express the miracle of life," Misako deadpanned.

"It's science," Ritsuko shrugged.

Misako shook her head. "So, we know why that jet crashed? Other than engine failure?"

Ritsuko shrugged. "Azazel's investigating, and Rei recorded a lot of footage after she secured the site. That'll at least tell us how honest their report is."

"This is their first big screw up. His plane wasn't doing any real maneuvers. It just blew up."

There was a knock on the door to the infirmary and after Ritsuko unlocked it Sergeant Zlatoust stepped inside followed by Captain Zel'dovich. The short fighter pilot was still in his flight suit, though his usual cocky grin was replaced with a more morose expression.

"I'm sorry," Shinju whispered.

A weak smile crossed Zel'dovich's face as he knelt down. "You have heart. You didn't know how bad it was but you came running. All you knew, all you needed to know was that a comrade needed help." He eyed the bandages on the girl's palms.

Shinju looked up and met Zel'dovich's gaze.

"Yakov liked you. I know he would have been proud to have you come to his rescue." Zel'dovich rose to his feet. "There's nothing I can say. You're a pilot; death is part of the job."

"This was an accident," Misako reminded.

"Accidents shouldn't happen, but they do." His face hardened. "I promise you we will find the pigs responsible for this. I can accept dying in battle, but I can't accept dying because someone got sloppy on machining or maintenance. We're supposed to be better than this," Zel'dovich spat, bitterness edging into his voice.

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Sitting on one of the chairs in the infirmary's waiting room, Asuka looked over to Rei. The First child was reading one of her seemingly endless trashy romance novels. The redhead picked at the hem to her skirt and leaned back putting her head against the wall.

A couple minutes passed, accompanied by the rustle of pages and the quiet commentary of the Azazel guards. Asuka's meager Russian allowed her to determine that they were talking about chess, but she had had enough of Russians today.

Shrugging in defeat, Asuka looked over to her squad-mate. "So....  
wasn't that the dead Pilot's wingman who just visited?"

Rei paused in her reading and waited, silently.

"Yeah I guess it was. Well, Princess did have her flashy rescue attempt." Asuka tapped the wall.

Rei closed her book and held it in her lap, tightly.

"It's weird you know, why are we out here? Is Princess that bashful? I mean we've all been in the locker room shower, and why all the privacy? How bad could it be? Give her some first aid on the drive back home."

One of Rei's knuckles popped.

"Oh well." Asuka stared at the ceiling until the metal door to the infirmary clicked open and swung out on its oiled hinges.

Zel'dovich was the first out of the room. He turned and gave a salute to Shinju before returning to his escort and walking down the corridor. The Ayanami sisters were next, followed by Ritsuko.

"So just use the burn cream and you'll be okay in a couple days. Change the bandages every six hours or so and don't tie them too tight," Ritsuko explained handing the clone a packet of fresh medications, salves, and bandages..

Shinju nodded.

Looking up, Rei rose to her feet and walked straight to her sisters.

"Well you girls can go back home." Misako patted Shinju's head. "Rei make sure Shinju has a quiet evening."

Rei's nod was identical to Shinju's

"At least you two are done for the day, I've got more meetings."

"Quit complaining. They're the ones that were in Evangelions all day," Ritsuko reminded.

"Right, right." Misako turned to an Azazel trooper. "Zlatoust rustle up Khariton or Katrina and take the pilots home."

Sergeant Zlatoust nodded and began the painstaking process of Pilot portaging. Soon he had ordered his men, contacted his superiors checked in with Nerv Command and began to lead the Pilots out of Central Dogma.

Misako turned back to Shinju. "And I'll be giving you a talking to on reckless behavior young lady. What would the Commander think if you had slipped and got hurt, or died?"

Shinju looked down. "I... I was trying to help."

"The first rule of helping is to make sure you're not making things worse," Ritsuko added as the Pilots were escorted away from the medical wing.

"Are you okay, Princess?" Asuka asked the girl in front of her on the ascending escalator.

"Yes, just worried what the Commander would think."

"Oh him? So what?" Asuka shook her head. "You freaked me out you know? You dropped right down that rope."

Shinju looked over to Rei who was gently holding her hand, but her Oneechan did not react.

"Time was important."

"Yeah, and you were able to show off, again." Asuka shook her head. "So what's the deal with Ikari? How come he's all creepy rich uncle with you two and just tosses a gift at me? Why do you care so much about what he thinks?"

Shinju whimpered slightly when Rei gripped her hand.

"The guy's hardly said word one to me, but seems to me you two meet him every day. Is it because you're such a good girl, Princess?"

Shinju set her jaw. "I will do as ordered."

"Isn't that a good little doll. So obedient. Do you think that Ikari really cares about you?"

"Don't you trust the Commander's work?" Shinju's question was devoid of emotion.

"What?" Asuka stopped. "Of course not! He's a smirking, arrogant know-it-all, too busy with his work to give you the time of day. At best he'll think of you as an interesting specimen. Cold-hearted bastard, just like my father," the redhead spat.

Slipping out of Rei's grip, Shinju slowly turned around. She took a step towards the perplexed redhead.

"Uh... yes?" Asuka leaned back as the smaller girl got into her personal space.

Glaring, Shinju pulled back her arm and blushing with anger slapped her hand across Asuka's face. She then spun on her heel and silently walked further up the escalator away from the stunned redhead. After half a dozen steps she hissed in pain and pulled the bandage back over her palm.

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Looking across the conference room, Captian Kodama Horaki adjusted her glasses. "Based on the actions the Russians have taken, and our own investigation of the crash site, Capitan Koval's plane suffered a burst compressor disk." A display on the wall switched to a blown-up diagram of a Saturn AL-31 engine and several images of torn bits of metal. "This is a high load, high mass component that is classified as a catastrophic failure part," the procurement head explained.

"Huh, accurate enough description," Ritsuko eyed the display. "Why'd it fail?"

"From the rash of arrests at NPO Saturn, it looks like there was a manufacturing fault."

"A few of the Azazel maintenance personnel have also been... transferred." Misako smirked.

Kodama nodded. "Yes, it's likely that proper maintenance would have caught this."

"Are the Russians overreacting?" Fuyutsuki asked. "Statistically their accident record has been much better than in the past."

"Especially if you consider the increased tempo of Azazel operations when compared to that of their air force," Misako added.

"There are two factors at work here," Kodama explained. "First of all the disk failures are normally exceptionally rare. This is due to the type of failure that occurs. They are held to a higher standard than other engine parts. If indicative of a systematic quality control problem, the integrity of the entire Azazel fleet would be called into question."

Fuyutsuki exhaled. "That was our concern."

"Sir, there's another factor. One that's related. The second impact strained already decayed cold-war era equipment, well-trained men in short numbers, and yet here the Russians are with a nuclear expeditionary force. Azazel is the distillation of the Russian armed forces. The best and brightest went into Azazel. Their most modern equipment, most competent soldiers."

Misako chewed her lip. "So that means the drunks, conscripts, rust-buckets, and other rotting crap is stuck in Russia?"

Kodama smiled slightly. "Accurate, but not my point Captain. My point was that that Russians took special care putting their best into Azazel, and they still had this accident."

"Though their screw-up still leaves them with the ability to conduct patrols and deliver weapons. We have considerably less margin," Ritsuko reminded.

"So in the short and medium term we could expect less capability out of Azazel? And more accidents," Fuyutsuki added.

"That's correct," Kodama said, while Misako nodded.

"How does this affect Nerv?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"Azazel support has been useful in the past, though the JSSDF can replicate some of their capabilities." Misako frowned. "It really depends on how bad things get with them. We're lucky this happened in training."

"Seemingly minor components failing can cripple a weapon system. If this had happened in battle, it could have been much worse." Kodama looked at her notes. "If anything Nerv is in a worse situation supply-wise. Our parts are even more exotic, expensive, and esoteric. I trust you've all read my report on quality control issues with Evangelion power systems?"

Fuyutsuki and Ritsuko reluctantly nodded while Misako glared at the prim woman. "That killed an entire evening," the clone hissed.

"There is always room to apply further pressure on our suppliers," Kodama asserted.

"Fine, draw up some ideas on how we can do that." Fuyutsuki took some relief in Ikari's absence; he did not handle minutia gracefully. "What else?"

"Well, in other news the Super Solenoid equipment from Second branch and Third Branch's Energy Analysis Unit has finished being moved to its new home at the Matsushiro Test Facility."

Ritsuko bent her pen. "Already? Including the staff?"

Kodama looked down at her notes. "Yes, the schedule was advanced due to the reassignment of several of the Energy Analysis Unit personnel. Also much of the equipment had already been moved to the Second Branch, making the final relocation easier."

Misako eyed Ritsuko. "Is that headed by who I think it is?" she asked grinning.

Ritsuko rubbed her forehead.

"Yes, Professor Tino Noah Insana. After the reorganization of the EAU he's the new head of Super Solenoid Research and Integration," Kodama explained.

Misako patted Ritsuko on the back. "At least he'll be in Matsushiro."

"They're scientists, not Betta fish. They won't fight just because you put them in the same room," Kodama stated.

Ritsuko glared. "I'm not worried about that."

Fuyutsuki gave a curt nod to Ritsuko. "Still, it reminds me of the old days."

"I'm not like my mother," Ritsuko grumbled.

"Yes, you're a bit more like Doctor Ikari." Fuyutsuki said.

"The Commander's wife?" Misako asked.

Fuyutsuki smirked. "The same."

Ritsuko looked between Misako and Fuyutsuki. She sighed. "Fine, then. Moving on?"

"We could spend more time talking about which scientist Rits is more like." Misako gave a tight little smile. "Her mother or the Commander's late wife."

After blinking at Yui's face, Ritsuko glared at Misako. "You're not helping," the scientist hissed.

"Well, it's rare enough that I find something that upsets the normally unflappable Dr. Akagi, and here are two things in one day."

"Very funny." Ritsuko sighed.

"Nah, if I wanted to be funny I'd suggest that Professor Insana was somehow involved with your mother."

Ritsuko shivered. "Bad Misako."

Kodama looked to the Sub-Commander.

Fuyutsuki cleared his throat. "Really, I think we've detoured into the past long enough."

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Asuka entered the apartment building's lounge. Frowning she looked between the door that led to the exercise room and the one that led outside. Rain poured down on the patio, and the adjacent exercise room was full. The lounge itself was adjacent to the building's lobby and contained a few couches chairs and tables. There was a void along one wall where a bar had been replaced by a much smaller karaoke machine.

"There's a wait to use the machines." Shinju said from the couch as she ran one of her knives against an oil stone.

After rolling her eyes at the ruffled, double-skirted romper Shinju wore, Asuka nodded. She took a seat that faced the couch and rolled her shoulders. "So, how are your hands?"

Shinju held up her hand, showing an angry red line that cut across her palm.

Asuka winced. "Getting better."

Picking her blade back up, Shinju resumed her work.

The redhead sharply exhaled. "Look, I'm sorry I got you mad. It's just the Commander... he reminds me of my father."

Shinju looked up.

"They're both bigwigs in Nerv. Too busy to care."

"You weren't raised by your parents?"

Asuka gave a bitter smile. "I was raised by my mother... until she couldn't."

Shinju placed her knife on the table and folded her hands in her lap.

"What about your parents?" Asuka asked looking out the window at the rain.

"My mother was a Nerv scientist. She died when I was young. I never got to know her."

"Small world." Asuka's eyebrows went up. "At least the Ice Queen had to have remembered her."

Shinju bit her lip, recalling the cover story. "Oneesan wasn't... close with mother."

"So the eldest butted heads with Mom, the youngest was the adorable one, and Rei was the neglected middle child?" Asuka rolled her eyes. "Figures. What about your father?"

Shinju opened her mouth –

-and Asuka cut her off. "Lemmie guess. Another Nerv? Someone more interested in science than his own children?"

Nodding, Shinju looked away. "After mother... Oneesan took care of us... until Nerv split us up."

Asuka slumped in her chair. "Nerv really knows how to screw up their pilots don't they?"

Shinju frowned and looked down at the fluffy skirting that flowed around her.

"I can count the number of times I've met my father on one hand." Asuka held up a fist. "First time was when I was born." Asuka glowered.

"And?"

"After that my mom took me straight to Germany and never said a word about who my father was. Whenever I asked, she told me I was born through the combination of an elite sperm and an elite egg… that I was a chosen being, a _special_ person."

Shinju blinked. "How old were you?"

"Yeah, I got the sex talk when I was really young." Asuka sighed and wiped at her eyes. "Scientist parents sure are fun."

Shinju frowned and looked up at Asuka.

The Second Child rubbed her forehead. "You want to hug me don't you?"

"You seem sad."

"And you think hug from Nerv's Precious Princess Perfect will help?"

"They seem to cheer up Oneechan," Shinju pouted.

"Wonder girl? Cheery?" Asuka sighed. "Are you scared about tomorrow?"

Shinju shook her head.

"There'll be a lot of people. All watching you."

"A lot of people watch us already." Pulling a small bottle out of one of her ruffled pockets, Shinju added some light gun oil to her sharpening stone.

"Yes, I got the fan letters," Asuka watched Shinju calmly steadily run the blade over the stone, making sure to keep the angle and pressure even. "It's almost as bad as all the letters that get stuffed into our lockers. Right Princess?"

Shinju blushed.

"I never thought I'd be thanking those spy creeps in Section Two." Asuka chuckled. "Though I wonder who you'd have to piss off to get the job of sorting fan letters to the Pilots."

"It's very serious work. Explosives and poisons could easily be snuck in."

"Is that why no one's sent you candies?"

Shinju blushed. "It's not all bad... some of the gifts are nice."

"Oh?" Asuka's eyes sparkled. "What'd you get?

Shinju tapped the varnished oak holder for the oilstone and Asuka actually looked a the object. The stone was a milky white and was held in a wooden container that glowed with patina and the gentle nicks and wears of a lifetime of use. A matching wooden lid was next to the stone and it bore a small silver nameplate.

Asuka shook her head. "Princess, princess, princess. Best I got was a box of opened, inspected, and resealed chocolates and a bouquet of wilted roses."

"What color?"

"Red, a bit forward if you ask me." Asuka looked to the exercise room.

"What about tonight? Are you nervous about that?"

"Captain Koval's service?" Asuka shrugged. "Not really, it's sad that he died, but the Russians seem to be taking care of it. We've got to show up, but it's not personal."

Rubbing her palm, Shinju looked down.

"So, where's Wondergirl? Were you too chatty and she needed some quiet time?"

Flush, Shinju looked down.

"Man... that was a joke."

"Oneechan will be down soon."

"Oh, how fun." Asuka groused.

Shinju tilted her head. "You're waiting for her?"

"No of course not!" The redhead grumbled. "It's just... I mean Hikari and everyone's at Okinawa."

Shinju nodded. "My class went too."

Asuka snorted. "Yeah, they can go off and have fun while we're stuck here."

"It's the price we pay for service."

"Yeah, yeah." Asuka rolled her eyes. "Still, does it seem fair to you? You've got to give a speech; they get go on vacation."

Shinju gave a charitable smile and returned to her sharpening. "I won't be the only one talking tomorrow."

"Oh?"

"All the pilots will be participating in a question and answer panel. Are you worried about that?"

"Why?" Asuka sighed. "That's industry people. Not fans."

Shinju gave a tiny smile as she added more oil to her sharpening stone.

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Happily humming, Shinju reached up and pulled a rocks glass off the shelf and placed it on the polished granite bar. She then took a large mixing glass, strainer, and metal jigger and put them next to the cut crystal tumbler. A long silver stirring spoon placed perpendicular to the bar edge completed her set of tools.

The girl then carefully picked up a wide-bottomed crystal ship's decanter, and using two hands delicately placed it onto the bar. She then opened the freezer compartment of a small fridge and removed an ice cube tray. After filling the mixing glass she slowly removed the decanter's stopper she used to jigger to slowly measure out two ounces of single malt scotch and pour it into the mixing glass.

After stirring the ice and single malt exactly eight times, she used the strainer to remove the ice by pouring the mixture into the tumbler. Once again using both her hands, she gingerly picked up the tumbler and carried it across the darkened office and placed it into a waiting gloved hand.  
Blushing, Shinju bowed her head and spread her ruffled skirting in a slight curtsy.

Lifting the glass up and inhaling the aroma, Gendo allowed a slight smile. "Are you ready to give your speech?" he asked, looking down at the diminutive clone.

As Shinju's cheeks cooled her expression shifted into a tight smirk. Keeping her head down, she reflexively smoothed her skirt before clasping her hands in front of her.

"That's my Pilot." After taking a sip, Gendo grinned. "And you're getting better at this too.

Quivering slightly, Shinju flushed with pride.

Resting his glass on the desk, Gendo patted his thigh. "Come on up, I've got a present for you."

Blushing furiously, Shinju slipped up onto her father's lap.

"I had this specially made for you." Gendo smirked as he opened up a lacquered rosewood box. Lying inside on a bed of velvet was a glittering choker.

The band of the choker was made out of two intertwined glossy but supple strips. One of the leather-like strips was coppery and the other was silvery. A shimmering blue octahedral crystal was set on the choker's front via two luminescent purple bands.

"Pretty," Shinju cooed.

Lifting up Shinju's tresses, Gendo fastened the choker around her neck.

Shinju felt a slight almost echoing spark, but was soon lathered in the warm happy memories of victory. Languidly smiling, she leaned onto her father's chest and returned to her happy humming.

"You're my special girl," Gendo whispered into Shinju's ear. Smirking at her reaction, Gendo picked up his tumbler and took another sip.

"You're not mad? After I burnt myself trying to rescue Koval?"

"Don't worry, that's something I understand." Gendo's smirk gained some mirth. "How are things?"

Shinju ran a hand along her choker. "Oneechan and Oneesan are doing well."

Gendo nodded, simulating interest.

"Even the Second is coming along."

"I heard you hurt her again."

"There was a reason." Shinju frowned.

"I know."

Shinju bit her lip. "Are... are you coming to the service?"

"Captain Koval's?" Gendo took a sip. "I was planning to make an appearance, yes."

Shinju gave a tiny smile. "It's just a quick service, casual so no uniforms, his funeral will be in Moscow of course."

"I should change, then."

"That's why I'm wearing my black dress!" Shinju fluffed flounced silk sleeves.

Gendo gave a proud smirk, "Well I'll see you later tonight."

Shinju kissed Gendo on the cheek. "I love the gift!" she gushed hopping onto her feet. Turning around she waved to Gendo and then merrily skipped out of the room.

Shortly, Fuyutsuki entered the room. "Well that was a surprise." He tugged at his cuffs. "Are you going then?"

"Solidarity would be important, especially given tomorrow's theatrics."

"Of course." Fuyutsuki looked out the office's windows. "Cute jewelry though. What does it do?"

"Do?"

"Yes, what byzantine and overarching purpose does it have?" Fuyutsuki asked with a slight smile.

"Dear professor, what could I possibly do to her?" Gendo picked up his glass.

"How should I itemize the list, by difficulty or depravity?"

"Let me clarify, what do I need to do to her? To satisfy the plan." Gendo added before taking a sip.

"She is as loyal as the First." Fuyutsuki shook his head. "Then is it merely a garish hunting trophy disguised as elegant jewelry?"

Gendo chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far."

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"You seem perturbed." Katrina noted as she braided Asuka's hair.

"Gee...you think?" Asuka looked into her vanity. "I suppose black works well," she said remarking on the stark, almost severe dress she wore.

Katrina tied off the long braid. "It's not really your color," she said, inspecting Asuka's hair bun. "But conventions must be maintained."

"You're in uniform."

"Yes, my duty uniform the one I wear every day, not my dress one." Katrina smiled. "I'm touched that you consider this a social event for me."

Asuka looked down. "Ah... sorry."

"Don't be. Captain Koval was a brave man. He knew the risks, he still volunteered, he killed the enemy."

"Yes, Ramiel and the horde."

Katrina nodded.

Asuka looked at her reflection. The ostentatious nature of her hairstyle, layered lacquered buns terminating in a cable-like braid clashed with the plain, if flattering black dress she wore. Having dark red trim, it hugged her thighs, went to her knees, and had a high collar with short sheer sleeves. "Do you have regrets?"

Katrina lowered the can of hair fixative. "Certainly," she said after a moment.

"Do they include doing... this?"

Katrina chuckled. "Do you really think I was ordered to be your beautician?"

Asuka looked up. "I think Captain Sakharov is more than willing to give you any order."

The stout German woman nodded. "Your cynicism is coming along nicely. We'll make a proper soldier of you yet."

"I suppose it's good that I got the normal platoon."

"Yes. I doubt Pyotr spends much time doing the First's hair."

"Well neither does Rei." Asuka frowned and shivered. "Though now I'm imagining Igor brushing Princess' hair."

"She does have a lot of hair."

"It's not much longer than mine."

"And we know how much time you spend on yours," Katrina teased. She then nodded. "Speaking of that, yours is satisfactory."

Asuka nodded and rose to her feet. After inspecting her reflection in her vanity she moved to a full-length mirror. "Does... does this work?" she asked adjusting her dress.

"What do you think? You asked to have your hair done this way."

Asuka looked at her reflection. "I... like it, but it is a real pain."

"Yes, it is," Katrina dryly noted.

"I do appreciate you doing my hair for me, but it's not just that. Even after showering my hair's still stiff. It takes a couple days before it stops feeling like plastic."

"There is a reason these styles aren't that common," Katarina reminded.

Asuka nodded. "Still... does it work for me?"

"Do you mean does it make you appear more mature and ladylike than the Fourth?"

Asuka rolled her eyes. "Please, she thinks more ruffles are the solution to any fashion problem, not to mention all the lace she puts up top to cover up her lack of endowment."

"She's nearly two years younger than you."

"And that makes it creepier. Is there a man she doesn't moon over? Zel'dovich, Kaji, her shaved bear, even the Commander isn't immune."

"I think you exaggerate."

Asuka snorted. "Oh no, trust me. Puberty's going to hit her like a truck. All that fan mail she gets is going to give her a big head."

"Yes, we mustn't have that."

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "Sarcasm then?"

"Well, your jealousy of Nerv's Perfect Princess, as you call her, is transparent. It's also quite justified."

"Really?" Asuka crossed her arms over her chest.

"She's the one out in the limelight. She's the one making all the stirring speeches, and her posters do sell the best."

"And that's not creepy?"

"Let's just hope that little girls are the ones doing all the buying," Katrina chuckled. "It's natural that you feel irked at a replacement pilot who is simultaneously newer than you and more experienced."

"Right, but when I complained before you told me to shut up and stick with my training."

Katrina's eyes went cold. "Training makes a difference. You know the last battle. How well do you think you would have done fresh from Germany?"

Asuka narrowed her eyes.

"You were blown up, were blown up again, destroyed a mountain, were mobbed by Angels, partially eaten, and then went crazy and started crushing them bare-handed." Katrina showed her teeth. "And that was a good battle."

"It was a small mountain." Asuka whined. "Anyway, you're forgetting the two cities that Azazel bombed, and the power station that the Angels blew up. As for crazy, what about Princess?"

"She is the best Pilot. You might want to emulate her spirited approach."

Asuka stared at Katrina.

"She has very strong esprit de corps."

"Right, you want me to scream like a loon when Piloting then?"

"I think that's a bit far," Katrina chuckled and examined Asuka. "I think you're ready to go."

"Finally." After holstering her sidearm, Asuka picked up her shoes and carried them to the door. "I suppose Princess isn't that bad, at least she doesn't whine like a little girl."

"Yes, that is something," Katrina distantly remarked.

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"You weren't going?" Mikki asked as she walked out of the restaurant and onto a large patio that overlooked the Tokyo 3 skyline.

Putting down his drink, Kaji stood up. "I wasn't invited."

"Aren't you one of them?" Mikki frowned.

Kaji shook his head as they went to the railing at the edge of the overlook. "Koval was a soldier. I'm not."

"They don't trust you."

"Well, they're not stupid." Kaji exhaled. "It looks like they'll be needing Unit 03 soon."

"Yes, Marduk has found the next pilot." Mikki leaned on the patio's balcony.

Standing next to her, Kaji nodded. "I heard they picked the next girl, yes."

"Boy." Mikki glanced over. "The next pilot's a boy. Can't you tell the difference?"

Kaji rubbed his chin. "Huh... I heard a rumor that only girls could pilot. Of course the pool's so small... and Marduk..."

"What about the Institute?" Mikki raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know?"

The office lady blinked innocently. "What's to know? They find children that might be able to pilot."

"It's all a scam," Kaji tapped the railing. "It's all in-house. Marduk is just a front."

Turning away, Mikki smiled to herself.

"Which doesn't make sense. Why bother making up an Institute? People'd be perfectly fine with Nerv itself finding the Pilots. It doesn't make sense."

"It's a conspiracy."

Kaji snorted. "Conspiracy theories are a joke."

Mikki stared. "Wait... but you..."

"Yes, I'd say I'm qualified on the subject. The problem with conspiracy theories isn't the conspiracy; it's the theory." Kaji flashed a grin.

"Organizations are staffed with mostly well-intentioned but incompetent people. Conspiracy theorists reverse this: they think these sinister agencies are evil-intentioned but supremely competent."

Mikki crossed her arms over her chest. "And you deny this?"

"I deny the supreme competence. Look at where you work. Look at your boss. Do those people seem supremely competent? Are they immune to Murphy's law?"

"But, humans do conspire."

"Oh yes, conspiracies are real, but humans are also petty, shiftless, incompetent, and imaginative." Kaji looked out at the sprawling city below them. "Do you know what would happen if I hijacked a television studio and went public with everything I knew?"

"You'd be shot."

"Eventually, eventually. But not that, do you know what the public would do? How they'd react to the truth?"

Mikki tilted her head.

"They shrug and go 'That's it?' People expect better. They expect grandiose plans. That's why Captain Koval's death is so damning. An organization that can kill an Angel in one shot shouldn't have accidents like that."

"That's absurd. Accidents happen, especially if you're using poor quality parts."

"That's human nature."

"Grandiose plans... but the Evangelions are-"

Kaji cut her off. "Fighting fire with fire. Again, the public wouldn't really care. They've already accepted the use of thermo-nuclear weapons. And what's an alien-clone cyborg war-machine when compared to creating miniature suns."

Mikki closed her eyes. "It really is overwhelming."

"I'm not denying that there is a conspiracy. Quite the contrary, I intend to uncover it."

"Why?"

"Because there's only one thing worse than a some pathetic sack weaving conspiracy theories in order to give his sad little life a little meaning."

Narrowing her grey eyes, Mikki waited.

"It's that same pathetic man _creating_ conspiracies to give his life meaning." Kaji cracked a smile. "Do you know what Ikari wants? Do you know what your boss wants?"

"It's always secrets with you isn't it?" Mikki smiled.

"Well, when secrets are all you'll give up, I have to content myself with that."

The auburn haired girl giggled, awkwardly.

"You're getting better." Kaji gave a charitable smile. "Have the other secretaries been helping you?

"Practice helps." Once more Mikki looked out over the city. "Even our failures can help, if one's willing to admit fault and learn from it."

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"And finally we've got a special guest to tell you how vital your work is to Project E and humanity." Ritsuko cleared her throat and stepped away from the lectern. "May I present the Fourth Child, Pilot of Evangelion Unit 01, Warrant Officer Ayanami Shinju."

Wearing the tan skirt and jacket of a Nerv Tactical uniform, Shinju strode onto the stage. She wore her customary hair band and a silver and gold choker adorned her neck. Turning she looked out at the auditorium. Hundreds of engineers, managers, and other employees from Nerv's various suppliers gently clapped. Inhaling, Shinju's eyes went from the crowd to the camera crews, one in each of the far corners and another in the front of the center aisle.

"Open your Heart," Shinju whispered as she took the final step and lowered the microphone. "I have one thing to say," she announced.

"Any one of you can get me killed." Each of her words clearly rang through the hall.

A murmur rushed through the audience, but after a few seconds it passed and silence dominated.

Shinju blinked. "It doesn't matter whether you're a machinist, engineer, inspector, scientist, clerk or manager. My life depends on the work you do, the equipment you make. A capacitor failure, impurely layered armor, mis-fused ammunition; each of those could get me killed."

The central camera zoomed in and held, taking care to use her bangs and headband bows to frame Shinju's face.

"If you fail at your job, people will die. If you're lucky it'll just be one of us pilots." Shinju exhaled. "If not... Tokyo 3's destruction is best case. You will fail. Mistakes will be made. What you have to do is own up to them. No more cover ups, no more excuses. Give us the tools, and we will win."

The camera zoomed out, showing the diminutive girl standing alone on the white stage.

"We are fighting for humanity's existence." Shinju paused. "We are fighting. All of us. You may not be in the cockpit with me but your work is what put me there, and can throw me right out. Victory depends on you. If you find that burden too much," She narrowed her eyes, "then I suggest you resign."

Deep in Gendo's office, Fuyutsuki shook his head as the feed switched to one of the side cameras. "She's certainly... photogenic."

"I believe she gets that from her mother."

Fuyutsuki thinly grinned.

"No retort?"

"Oh, I don't think I could top that. Still... I suppose you are correct: Blood tells."

Nodding, Gendo listened to Shinju retell Operation Excelsior. She paid special attention to the critical equipment such as the YC-59 transport, without which the operation would have been impossible.

"No mention of Third Branch. Is Shinju the carrot to Misako's stick?"

Gendo smirked. "Do you underestimate the Fourth that much?"

"Oh?"

"You know why I had my little Azazel epiphany?"

"Do tell," Fuyutsuki dryly remarked.

"Unlike the Old Men, unlike Mr. Kaji, unlike the good doctor. Azazel understands. Lieutenant Khariton knows exactly what Shinju is."

Fuyutsuki stared. "That much? They know about the cloning and Lilith?"

"Nothing so pedestrian." Gendo's smirk broke into a grin. "They know the spirit, the fire that lies within her, and best of all, they're cultivating it. Such a gift, no?"

"And how do you plan to use this gift?" The professor eyed Gendo.

"Gifts are best shared. Let her inspire the whole world, if that is what it takes."

"This is being broadcast in Russia as well?" Fuyutsuki asked.

Gendo nodded.

"I knew Nerv would have to play many roles, but the hero?"

"Life is too rich to predict, all one can do is adapt. Look at Mount Asama."

"The Old Men are wary of going on the offensive."

"They are cautious, too cautious."

"They are also concerned about the location. It is close..."

Genma waved his hand. "Competition is making them more conservative."

"The fools." Gendo tapped the desk. "Competition forces boldness. If we do not act, they will."

"But the risks. Accessibility..."

"Will not be an issue." Gendo smirked. "And a living sample is worth the risk."

After a moment, Fuyutsuki nodded. "Assistance from our allies then?"

"Of course, anything to achieve our goals. " Gendo allowed his grin to recede. "Capability and loyalty give us options. The Second aside, I have every confidence that the Pilots will do their duty."

"Including the End?"

"My dear Professor, why would Shinju disagree with that? She misses Her almost as much as I do."

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Back straight, Shinju strode off the stage and down a hallway.

Going the other way, Misako in the black jacket and long skirt of her formal uniform hugged her. "You did good."

Shinju nodded.

"Too much for you?"

The little clone bit her lip. "I just want to be quiet now," she whispered.

Misako chuckled and patted her on the back. "You deserve it. Go an take a break. I'll make sure the Q&A panel is quick."

Shinju nodded and finished transversing the corridor. At the far end a group of Azazel troopers on guard opened the door letting her into the green room.

"Speech powerful, maybe babies will learn, no?" Igor smirked.

"It was one of your planes that crashed," Asuka grumbled from her chair. She looked to Shinju before going back to watching the television where Misako was starting her own speech.

Igor frowned. "Dangerous work."

Shinju nodded as climbed onto the couch and drew her knees up to her chin; she lowered her head causing her bangs to fall over her face.

Sitting next to her, Rei put her book down and critically examined her sister. With a slight frown she reached out and straightened Shinju's hair bow and pulled the girl's bangs back.

"Nothing wrong with being scared." Igor offered her a red and white wrapped candy bar.

Still keeping her knees drawn up, Shinju gingerly peeled back the foil and started nibbling on the chocolate.

Asuka glared. "Oh come on! No one's that cute!"

Shinju looked up from the confection. "You think I'm cute?"

"Don't be coy. With your big eyes, long hair, and fluffy and ruffled dresses, how can you be anything else?"

"She's wearing the same uniform as you." Rei picked her book back up.

Asuka waved her hand in dismissal. "She's the kind of girl that's always wearing ruffles, even when she's not. And I'm not wearing a choker or a hair band out of Alice in Wonderland."

Resuming her nibbling, Shinju smiled.

Igor shook his head and lumbered off to the far side of the room, leaving the pilots alone.

Asuka sighed. "It was a good speech, Princess."

"Maya wrote it."

"Huh." The redhead shrugged. "I didn't realize Dr. Akagi's puppy had it in her."

"Puppy?"

"Sure, she's nice enough, but really she's just a little piece of fluff."

Clutching her chocolate bar, Shinju looked up at Asuka.

Asuka blinked. "You know Princess, it's actually amazing you're not more spoiled."

Rei's hands twitched and her bookmark slipped out and fell onto the floor.

"Spoiled?" Shinju frowned.

"You sleep on a four poster bed with a silk canopy. You're part of a family that Pilots and commands giant robots. You collect dolls and like wearing frilly gowns. You've got elite Russian guards. You're on posters, on action figures. You play an adorable little three-quarter cello. There's propaganda films about you."

"Now you call us elite?" Igor laughed.

"I didn't deny the princess part," Shinju said, slightly cross.

Asuka sighed. "Great more Ayanami humor."

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A titanic grey object shot towards the earth. Considerably longer than an Evangelion, the plane's minimally backswept wings stretched even further out, to nearly twice that of a Unit's height. Despite the length and wingspan, the fuselage's large girth made the aircraft look stubby and stout. Looming just forward of twin vertical tails, the hulking nacelles of two massive engines dominated the fuselage. The most powerful turbofan engines on the planet, each A-110WS produced over one hundred fifty thousand pounds of thrust.

Four hundred forty tons of aircraft pulled out of the dive, and with misleading slowness seemed to wallow in the curve as it began to bank left. Then the engines flared and the aircraft shot around its curve, rolled to nearly vertical wings and shot over the observation bunker.

As it passed overhead the nose art became obvious. A two story tall, gaping maw with stark white teeth surrounding bright red highlighted the twin weapons protruding out the front.

The aircraft rolled back to level and commenced a disconcertingly rapid climb as it flew deeper into the test zone. All too soon it nosed down and after swinging around to the left fired. A blinding white beam flashed and sliced through a thirty meter solid reinforced concrete cube. The weapon flashed again, and again, each time nimbly piercing straight through the scattered targets.

Exiting the turn, the plane pitched down, swung back around, and keyed in the other gun. This time a flaming maelstrom erupted from the nose cannons. Each second, eighty, fifty millimeter hardened darts shot towards the target at over twenty times the speed of sound.

Using hydraulic gimbals to allow for fine adjustment by moving the entire weapons platform, the Gatling rail gun raked the target zone. First controlled bursts were used to blow apart every target block, then slightly longer gouts of plasma heated hypersonic projectiles shredded the remaining fragments.

Leveling out, the plane exited the Mount Takanosu Testing Range and returned to base. Despite its size, the plane had no trouble landing. The runways were designed to accommodate YC-59 Evangelion transports, an even larger aircraft.

Now resting on over two dozen heavy-duty wheels the plane taxied off the runway and then shut down its engines. The rear ramp lowered, the nose lifted up revealing the guts of the giant guns, and finally the front ramp extended and dropped onto the tarmac. A gaggle of jumpsuited Republic and NHIS technicians ran to the craft and started attaching cables and other feeds to secure the plane's nuclear power plant.

Wearing constrictive G-suits, the flight crew descended a stairwell that connected the control deck to the weapons deck. Avoiding the weapons assembly and giving the center-line mounted guns a wide berth, they walked down the front ramp and stepped out on to the hot tarmac. As he stepped into the sun the lead man in the group, also the tallest, slipped on a black banded slouch hat he had been carrying.

There the half dozen men were met by Azazel, JSSDF, and Nerv representatives who were just climbing out of a group of trucks.

"Impressive test," General Yubari said as he shook the lanky pilot's hand.

"Yes, amazing what can happen if you sink enough money into a demonstrator," Beria remarked.

Zel'dovich and Misako hung back from the group and mostly looked up at the giant plane.

"You put a nuclear powered naval gun in a transport plane." Ritsuko said in disgusted awe as she looked up at the aircraft. While it lacked the sheer looming presence of an Evangelion, it had a much larger footprint.

"All proven technology," Beria allowed. "Admittedly with an unconventional assembly."

Hiram squinted at the Russian. "Program requirements dictated the YA-11's assembly."

"Yes a nuclear reactor would be the only way to supply sufficient power." Beria looked up at the giant tail-mounted engines and the fins underscoring the wings. "Engine fans turned by direct gas on blades or exchanger heat up of combustion chamber?"

"Heat exchangers. That way the engines can work off the reactor or from conventional fuel. Though the latter gives us a limited range." Hiram reached out his hand. "That IIB is some slick work. Impressive engine and targeting."

As he shook the Texan's hand, Beria's smile almost touched his eyes. "Your weapon targets accurately as well."

"That's all Owen's work." Hiram slapped the tall pilot on the back.

Beria nodded to the tall, brown haired pilot. "You shoot well."

Owen Lysaght inclined his head similarly. "Appreciate it, mate," he said in a husky, grumbling voice.

"Owen's one of our test pilots. Formerly of the RAAF. Ground Attack Squadron."

"Owen? You were at the Battle of Darwin?" Zel'dovich not quite asked. "Did you know Charlie?"

The Australian smirked. "If you want to call it a battle," Owen spat. "The ProCo's managed to take out Te Kaha and two other frigates and one of our Collins boats. However their landing craft..."

"Their first strike did take out most of your fighters."

"Yeah, someone gave them a bunch of fancy missiles," Owen's grin highlighted the scar that ran across his left cheek. "Darwin was left with some mothballed surplus the Americans sold off right after the Impact."

"It is easier to take out planes on the ground," Zel'dovich stated.

"Well, the South Asian Prosperity Combine was pretty ruthless," Misako shrugged.

Owen glared. "Darwin's still not the same."

"Right." Misako shook her head, after the Impact some of the low-lying nations had banded together, and decided that their survival depended on finding and keeping better land. "That was almost as bad as the Canal War."

"Bah, the Mexicans simply fire-bombed the Centrals." Owen snorted. "No the ProCos were real mongrels. They figured they'd just mass on the beaches and use raw numbers." The Australian chuckled. "So we let them land."

Yubari raised an eyebrow. "It was an unconventional use for ground attack aircraft."

"You don't need much to take out a converted troopship. Their destroyers were trickier though."

Sighing, Ritsuko looked over and saw that even Beria was nodding along with the military personnel.

"Thunderbolt's aren't designed for naval work. Though amphibs are just troop transports that can float. Nice, thin armor there." Owen shook his head.

"Still, landing craft are cheap to make, and they had plenty," Beria added.

"Yeah, we really had to go easy on the guns. Save as much ammo as we could."

"I knew you were a friend of Charlie's." Zel'dovich smirked and held out his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet one of Charlie's Cheaters."

Owen grabbed his hand. "And you did some good work up in Mongolia. Sorry to hear about your wingman. Milk-run's no way to die."

"It's how it goes." Zel'dovich's shrug contrasted with the fire in his eyes. "You know what it's like."

"Yah, I was up to my ass in that bloody mess."

"Wait... Charlie?" Misako asked.

"I'm guessing it's short for Charles." Ritsuko said in a bored voice. She rolled her eyes at Misako. "The city's named Darwin, named after Charles Darwin."

"Yes, well I think we can get out of the sun," Yubari motioned towards the waiting vehicles.

The YA-11's crew went to a different vehicle splitting them from the Nerv, Azazel, and JSSDF personnel.

"That's a right bunch of wackjobs." Owen leaned back and pulled his hat forward to block out the sun.

Hiram chuckled. "You haven't even seen the Children."

"Eh, they're not much younger than some of the AWAS girls that got drafted during the war."

Hiram nodded. After the Impact conscription, especially for homeland defense had experienced a resurgence. The Australian Women's Army Service being notable for one of the more _active_ branches.

"You're just worried about your gadget not working, Booksmarts."

Hiram turned back to look at his plane. "Damn straight. If not for the post Impact buildup Republic would have gone bankrupt."

"Give me a working gun and I'll bag you an angel," Owen said as they stopped next to the air base's terminal.

"It's only a matter of time," Hiram said, getting out.

Crossing the threshold, Owen removed his hat and followed the crowd up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. He passed a large glaring Azazel officer with a curt nod and entered a large lounge. The wall overlooking the airport was made out of glass with the YA-11 dominating the view. An opposite wall had several large display screens, one of which was replaying footage from the demonstration.

However Owen's attention went to those already in the room. As unsettling as they were, the Russian Naval Infantry troops were to be expected. The Children on the other hand...

Specifically, Owen blinked at the little girl in her ruffled dress and bowed hair. "Well aren't you a precious little posey!"

The redhead sitting near her rolled her eyes.

Misako stepped up pointed to each of the three girls. "These are Warrant Officers Ayanami, Soryu, and Ayanami."

The Australian chuckled as the three girls got up as each was named. The youngest even gave a little curtsey. "Wing Commander Owen Lysaght , retired."

Shinju tilted her head. "You were at the Battle of Darwin, Charlie's Cheaters. You spent a lot of time strafing the beaches. Most of them were little better than refugees with rifles."

Narrowing his eyes, Owen looked past her indignant expression and to the silver and gold choker around her neck. "What's it to you? They're the ones that invaded. After their victory off Melville Island, they were very full of themselves. Then, very briefly surprised. Then, dead. That's how we do it in the bush."

After a couple seconds Shinju nodded. "Yes. You'll do."

Owen smirked. "Yeah, I figured you'd know all about bushman's rules. Nice necklace."

Shinju blushed.

Misako raised an eyebrow. "Well... glad you're getting along. Anyone need anything to drink?"

"Coffee, decaff. if you have it," Owen said, looking out at his plane.

Misako nodded and walked to the refreshment table along one side of the room.

"So you retired? And you're working for NHIS now?" Asuka asked.

"Nippon? Not those wankers. I'm a Republic man. Besides, if I hadn't quit I wouldn't be able to fly my baby over there."

"So if you're not military who will you be working for?" Asuka asked.

"JSSDF contract," Rei stated.

"Clever girl." Owen nodded. "The Reds have their bombs. You've got the robots. JSSDF feels left out. Right now they've just got the test-plane but once production ramps up they'll get a squadron.... after the Yanks whet their beaks."

"Are we talking about procurement woes?" Zel'dovich asked walking up to his fellow pilots and handed Owen a cup of coffee. "Captain Ayanami's compliments."

"About right." Owen took a sip. "They fix up the mongrels that screwed up your engines?"

"Looks that way. The inquiries are getting more pointed." Zel'dovich coughed into his fist.

Owen nodded in understanding. "Yeah, we had a lazy-little sergeant who caused a feed jam on my Hog's Avenger. Because of that ProCo's were able to secure their beachhead's North flank."

"Accident, or reassignment?"

"Sniper." Owen gave a toothy grin. "A damn ProCo infiltrator. Took his head clean off."

Rei glanced at the pilot. "And was the sniper caught?"

Owen smirked. "Eventually."

Zel'dovich raised an eyebrow.

Asuka shook her head. "So why are you talking with us? Why not with the egg-heads and the brass?"

"You're the ones I'm going to be providing air support for. How close to an angel do you have to be to take out its AT field?"

"Close. Within a hundred meters," Shinju said.

Owen frowned. "That's going to be a challenge. We're going to have to work on coordination then."

"Their simulators are rather good," Zel'dovich admitted. "Can your plane be wired for it?"

"Likely, the whole upper deck's got a damn control center. Though the galley and bunks are nice. Its even got a head. No more jars, mate."

"You got jars? Luxurious," Zel'dovich dryly remarked.

"Head... jars?" Asuka's eyes widened. "Ewww."

"What do you do when nature calls?" Owen demanded.

"The plug's already liquid filled," Shinju helpfully added.

Asuka shivered. "Princess, that's even worse... we're breathing..."

"You would be, if the plug suits weren't water proof." Rei reminded. "They prevent liquids from coming in, or going out."

"Can we change the subject?" Asuka asked.

Owen smirked. "Piloting isn't all apples and glamour, girl."

"What's the loiter time on that beast?" Zel'dovich asked.

"With a backup crew and a stocked galley it's limited only by ammunition and maintenance cycle. We've had it up for a hundred hours at a time during trials."

"Crew size?" Shinju asked.

"Skeleton crew is pilot and two reactor technicians, but they can't do much if anything goes wrong. Standard compliment is to add a co-pilot, flight engineer, two weapons engineers, and another reactor tech."

"And you're building more?" Asuka asked.

"That's the plan. Orders are real dependant on how this one performs."

"But you can't kill an angel."

"Only two things can do that. One is horrendously expensive to operate, the other is horrendously expensive to use," Owen said. "The YA-11 is support."

Shinju looked into the tall man's eyes. "Then we'll see how well you perform."

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Standing up, Misako looked over the conference room at the assembled officers and scientists. This screen behind her displayed a rounded snow-capped mountain rising over fields and sharp valleys next to a map of Japan that indicated the mountain's location. "This is Mount Asama. Yesterday the Asama Volcano Observatory detected unusual seismic readings. Nerv was brought in and our equipment detected pattern blue," Misako explained as the display changed to several graphs and pattern displays.

"Angel inside mountain?" Beria asked.

From his seat at the head of the table Gendo impassively watched the proceedings and his gaze would occasionally drift to the Fourth Child, who sat opposite him, flanked by the two other Pilots.

Yubari frowned. "Mount Asama is a hundred kilometers inland. How did it make landfall?"

"There is much about the angels we do not know. That one has appeared in Honshu's most active volcano..." Ritusko shook her head.

"What? Could an angel trigger an eruption?" Admiral Sudoplatov asked.

"It's possible, just as it's possible an AT field could contain and direct a plume of ash," Ritsuko explained.

Sudoplatov looked to Beria who, despite glowering, nodded in agreement.

General Yubari looked at the Nerv staff. "What do you propose? A mountain is a rather defendable position."

General Ishikari looked at the map. "Why there? It's over 120 kilometers North of Tokyo 3."

"We see two reasons. It's the most active volcano on Honshu, and it's only 40 kilometers South East of a Nerv Test Facility at Matsushiro. A defensive line between Ueda and Mounts Azumaya and Shirane is also being set up."

"Ah." Yubari nodded in realization. "The Super Solenoid research is there."

"We cannot be sure that the Angel has specifically targeted the research facility, but the proximity is worrisome."

"And the research?"

Misako nodded to Ritsuko. "After this meeting Dr. Akagi will fly to Matsushiro and organize the evacuation and sheltering of equipment and staff."

Ritsuko grimaced. "Yes, some of which was just moved in."

"This seems to track with the enemy's increasing intelligence," Yubari said.

Misako nodded in agreement. "And that is why we can't let the Angel stay where it is."

"Tell us where the Angel is and we can hit it," Beria promised.

Misako grinned.

Gendo adjusted his glasses. "Gentlemen, Our proposal is the capture, interrogation, and dissection of the enemy."

"Intelligence is required," Sudoplatov allowed.

"Interrogation? There is no communicating with the angels," Yubari scoffed.

For a moment, Gendo's eyes flashed across the table. "The Admiral is correct. We need information; we need to know what the angels are planning, what they are capable of."

"How do you propose containment? Angels tend to rather large." Beria mildly asked.

"And while the most recent one was small enough; it had the nasty habit of exploding." General Ishikari dryly added.

Ritsuko cleared her throat. "Based on the readings we believe this Angel is not fully mature. This makes it both weaker and smaller. An electromagnetic cage is being constructed that should imprison it."

Beria rubbed his chin. "The AT fields are that weak early in the lifecycle?"

"If not, the Evas will be on site to cut out its heart," Misako assured.

"I agree with the need to study the enemy, and if we can capture one unaware, we should exploit the situation." Yubari looked up at the display. "However, the Angel is still in a volcano. How will you even get to it?"

Ritsuko smirked. "What if it was no longer inside a volcano?"

Beria cackled. "Yes, this we can do. How much do you need cut off top?"

Yubari's eyes widened and he blew out a quiet sigh. "Is Nerv proposing destroying a mountain?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," Sudoplatov joked while Asuka blushed.

"This is an actual mountain, and a volcano at that."

Gendo leaned back. "What do you propose, General? That we drop an Evangelion into the caldera?"

Yubari shook his head. "I suppose not."

"Theoretically D-Type Equipment hooked into the proper heat exchangers could maintain integrity for a very limited time, but at the cost of maneuverability." Ritsuko explained.

"D-Type. Extreme environment equipment, no?" Beria asked.

"It's similar to the protective systems on the probes we've been using." Ritsuko shrugged. "Of course those are expendable."

"Even in molten rock?" The balding man gave a vaguely impressed nod.

"The molten rock is the problem. An Eva can't really move in that stuff, too heavy. It'd be like dangling a crayfish into a piranha tank full of taffy," Misako explained.

"Right." Ritsuko blinked. "I don't like this but... hitting the mountain is the most sensible option. The Angel cannot be allowed to stay."

"What about a smaller attack, one that drives it to the surface?" Ishikari asked.

Misako nodded and the projector switched to a cross section of Mount Asama. "The mountain has a summit of 2,500 meters. We believe the Angel is 1,300 meters down. The plan is to drill and place N2 devices five and two hundred meters below the target. A synchronized detonation will force it to rise where the second and third sequences will... clear the summit."

"And if the detonations do not flush it?"

Misako exhaled. "Then Director Beria will need to develop something that can break an AT field and a mountain."

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Ritsuko stepped into the Matsushiro Test Facility's new high energy research lab. Bare, undecorated concrete and steel, the entrance room was Spartan even by Nerv standards.

"Well, there you are," an arrogant voice proclaimed from the door that led into the depths of the new facility. "Moving me out already?"

Looking at the man entering the room, Ritsuko rubbed her forehead. A somewhat short, and stooped, almost hunched man, Professor Tino Noah Insana shuffled towards Doctor Akagi with a manic energy. His arms, and especially his fingers squirmed and twitched. He was wearing a white lab coat over a set of green-blue scrubs. A stethoscope was wrapped around his neck and a few small silver tools filled his front coat pocket. Messy center-parted hair flopped over a lanky face.

"I suppose I should be gracious that Ikari sent an actual scientist to check in on me," the head of Super Solenoid Research and Integration spat. "I suppose your precious computers and robots weren't keeping you too busy." Insana said in oddly inflected Japanese. He then tittered to himself.

"I see you're still... learning languages."

"Better than your English." Insana waved dismissively.

"This is serious we'll need to talk in a secure location."

"Please, you don't think I can figure out why you're here." Insana giggled. "What else would get Nerv scared? The Asama Volcano Observatory getting locked down makes it too easy."

"Will there be problems?"

Insana grinned. "That depends on what sacrifices you're willing to make. It'll be like the old days. You remember them? Before Unit 01 was constructed, before I got shipped off into the desert."

"Yes Tino, it's been a long time." Ritsuko smiled through her teeth.

"You had other duties." Ritsuko narrowed her eyes. "And besides, after that the Production Series started, and you hate that. Don't you call engineering semi-skilled labor?"

"That was our lamentable colleague Dr. Cooper." Insana gave a dismissive wave. "Not that I disagree with his sentiment, despite him being Energy Analysis Unit. There's still some fresh science to explore, but no... Look at how you tried to cut me off after Unit 00's activation test."

"That wasn't my decision, and we don't have time for this."

Insana snickered. "Really, if we didn't have time, Section Two would have thrown me and my team into a VSTOL, after, of course, placing an N2 mine next to the rig."

Ritsuko sighed.

"And!" Insana shook his arms. "And! It _was_ your decision," Insana chuckled. "I know you've got the commander's ear, at the very least."

Ritsuko sighed at the giggling man.

"Oh, you're no fun. You don't need to take things so serious. You'll live longer," Insana helpfully added.

"Are you going to give me relationship advice too?"

Insana smirked. "Well, I suppose I could. You are still single, technically?"

Ritsuko evenly glared.

"How about family? No children yet I presume?" Insana's grin faltered. "Fine, fine, might as well show you around. That way you'll know what to evacuate and what to scuttle." He then led her through a security station and into a small chamber that looked vaguely like a cloakroom

"We'd only blow up the lab if the Angel breaches the perimeter."

Insana picked a set of goggles off of a cubbyhole bearing his name. "Yes, yes. I told you. I understand sacrifice. Blow it all up!"

Ritsuko shook her head.

"Here, you'll need to put on eye protection," he explained, pulling a fresh set of goggles out of a foam-lined metal case.

Ritsuko slowly turned the pair of black framed goggles. "Really?" she asked, looking over the alternating semi-silver and tinted black sections that spiraled into the center of each lens. On the left side were a couple status lights and a tiny antenna

Insana giggled. "Oh yes, the spiral pattern maximizes the interface boundary, and thus the frame divergence! Not only that, they prevent ego cascade and can function as an augmented reality!"

Ritsuko nearly dropped her goggles. "Ego cascade?"

"Oh yes, Dr. Cooper's hubris was his undoing," Insana snickered. "But he's doing well, I heard he's able to tie his shoes now and they're even letting him eat pudding. What did he expect? When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back!"

"Most scientists remote-operate Super Solenoid tests." Ritsuko examined her goggles.

Slipping on his goggles, Insana straightened his back. He was still twitchy and hunched but with his eyes concealed a colder expression crossed his face. "Most scientists are simpering, small-minded cowards!" Setting his jaw the professor coldly sneered and shook his fist.

"Right.... augmented reality too?"

Insana lowered his arm, and handed Ritsuko a pair of blue latex gloves before slipping on a pair himself. "Bah, a simple display overlay and a Magi interface. But, when combined with the locators on the finger tips of these special gloves, you get full virtual interactivity!"

Rolling her eyes, Ritsuko slipped the goggles and gloves on. Her vision seemed to twist as her eyes compensated for the alternating lens material. After her view of the room returned to a somewhat darkened normality, the displays kicked in and a red wireframe heads up display formed on the edges of her vision.

"Well, this is crude," Ritsuko sighed.

Insana jittered with nervous energy. "Wait for it..."

A vibrant rectangular screen suddenly appeared to Ritsuko's left. Blinking she reached out and ran her finger-tips through the images, causing water-like ripples in the display.

"Okay... this isn't that bad," Ritsuko allowed.

A translucent keyboard then appeared hovering in front of her and the blonde spent a few seconds poking through the keys and even using her hands to reposition the board.

"All the display features are capable of being moved. It's a great way to avoid clutter." Insana added.

"So, you can see what I can?"

"This is collaborative mode."

Ritsuko nodded, and moved her fingers to try out a few more interface commands. "This really needs tactile feedback. It'd be much better if I could feel what I'm touching, even a little bit."

Insana frowned. "Yes. Well, the next version of the gloves isn't in yet."

"I see." Ritsuko flicked her finger through a hovering off button and the holographic displays all vanished, save for a small orb labeled "On" that hovered in the lower right of her vision.

"Now, I must insist that you keep the goggles on at all times." Insana lectured as they passed through another security station and down a long metallic hallway. "With the rig powered down, the odds of a observer-induced cascade are low, but I don't want to be punished due to your foolishness."

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Ritsuko said as the hallway dumped them into an expansive, gently curved corridor. To the left it extended further into the facility, revealing a passageway wide enough, and possessing the necessary tracks, to drive two trains side by side.

To the right was a massive steel door that spanned the entire width of the corridor. Insana capered over the double set of tracks and ran his key card through a scanner and unlocked a man-sized door built into the much larger armored door.

"Behold!" Insana cried.

Despite being privy to Terminal Dogma's "guest" and working with the Evangelions daily, Ritsuko was still awestruck when she looked up, and up. The room was large enough to house an Evangelion and had cables and pipes snaking down from the Cathedral-like vaulted ceiling. Several scientists scurried about, dwarfed by the equipment; Ritsuko shivered when she saw that they all wore the same lab coats and goggles.

Looming above them was a giant metallic thing. The size of a small house, it was roughly spherical but had an oddly marbled texture. The majority of the... machine's surface was covered by a riot of conduits, support struts, and pipes that circled and twisted around central sphere in an eye-bending, disturbingly symmetrical pattern.

"Yes, this will be a problem to move."

"It only took four diesel engines, and the tracks are already laid. Though the freighter has left port." Looking pensive, Insana suddenly raised his fist in triumph. "You could always have one of the Evangelions lug it out."

Ritsuko stared at the professor.

"What?" Insana shambled over to an intercom. "This is Professor Insana. Close all shutters and evacuate the test cell."

Watching the other scientists hurry away, Ritsuko shook her head. "Is it functional?"

"Remember your goggles." Insana smirked and flicked his hands. A siren screamed, then fell silent. After a few seconds of quiet, there was an oily rasp as the sphere's plates contracted, expanded and slid over each other. A flash washed over both scientists and died down revealing the core.

Ritsuko blinked. "And this is it powered down?"

Insana laughed. "Oh you have no idea the gift you've given me. A functional test bed for Super Solenoid theory. Glorious Science!"

"Yes, well we want a functional engine for an Evangelion."

"Oh you'll get that," Insana assured as another gesture resealed the core. "Provided the Angels don't set us back." He spun on his heel and started walking out of the test chamber.

"And are your little goggles really the most secure way to control an S2 engine?" Ritsuko asked after the exited the core-chamber.

"Well no, but they're the most versatile, besides all actual experimentation is done from the observation deck, or the isolation bunker." Insana adjusted his goggles, as they went down another side hallway and then up a long flight of stairs, and down a short corridor.

Stepping into Insana's office, Ritsuko removed her goggles "Very effective, but how can you wear these all day? They'd drive even you crazy."

Insana chuckled. "Drive me crazy? My dear, that will never happen. A man who lives in Tokyo cannot be taken to Tokyo."

Shaking her head, Ritsuko looked over and glimpsed an open cardboard box atop Insana's desk. Despite herself, the scientist was drawn towards it. Stepping closer she looked in and saw a pile of scribble-covered papers, a portable videogame system, a few television remotes, a bunch of metallic spoons held together with a rubber band, a pink squishy sea anemone toy, a metal cylinder topped with a dangly cord and a golden-framed picture.

Her attention fixated on the picture frame; Ritsuko sighed. It contained an image of Asuka with her hair up, wearing her red and gold gown. "Tino...."

Still wearing his pair of goggles, Professor Insana jittered over to his desk and snaked the picture out of Ritsuko's hands. "Ikari does know how give a proper welcoming gift."

Pulling off her gloves and placing them atop her goggles, Ritsuko gave the twitchy scientist a flat look.

"What?"

"Tino... she's your-"

"Bah! Don't you think I know that!" Insana looked at the photograph and with his free hand raised his fist. "Of course it took Kyoko until the end of the third trimester to tell me."

Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "You... donated to a very specific genetic bank. What did you expect?"

"Given Nerv and Kyoko... pretty much this." Insana nodded and gave a broad wave to the picture he held before him. "Granted I do take pride in this confirmation of the obvious superiority of my genes. She does have a degree... granted it's from a University in Berlin," Insana sneered.

"Berlin universities aren't that bad. It's not like she's doing any research, she minored in literature and got a bachelors in mechanical engineering." Ritsuko smirked at the last word.

Insana deflated. "Yes, oh how pedestrian. Though I am encouraged. She did have a flare with thermodynamics, a field with a very strong scientific base! Also with plenty of research opportunities for when she pursues her doctorate."

"You think she's going to grad school?" Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

"Of course! It's inevitable! Just like it was inevitable that she would Pilot. Though I wish Nerv had more sense. Her training..." He shook his head.

"Did you expect any better from Third Branch?"

"No... no I didn't. They easily met my low expectations." Insana shrugged. "Now, what I didn't expect was Gendo's little stunt? Is the man really so blunt?"

"Most people wouldn't take a framed photograph of their daughter as a threat."

Insana snorted. "Most people are morons."

Ritsuko smirked. "So, I take it you haven't been to Ikari's office then?"

"Why? Does he have a matching picture?" Insana put the picture down on his desk. "Maybe, instead, he's got one of your girls," he gleefully declared.

Ritsuko narrowed her eyes.

"Too easy!" Insana happily shook his fists.

"How are you going to handle the secret?"

"What secret? Asuka knows. You know. The commander knows. Besides, I merely donated genetic information, and as happy as I am that the late Dr. Soryu decided my genetic information was worthy of her little experiment... I have no responsibility," the scientist's sneer faltered slightly.

"Asuka hates you."

"Yes, I'm a lousy father." The scientists shrugged and stepped to the thick observation window and looked down at the S2 test cell. "At least it's a better kept secret than with your girls."

Ritsuko glared.

Giggling, Insana turned back. "Please, your little cover stories only work on people that don't know anything! You take three nearly identical girls with blacked out pasts. Two of which can pilot, all of which have... strange physical attributes and pharmacological requirements."

"Yes their genetic quirks make them a fertile family for Piloting."

"Which makes you so very lucky," Insana sneered. "Come on! Gehirn's front was the UN Artificial Evolution Laboratory. And once you start pulling threads and unraveling the lies, the only question becomes what the last Matryoshka doll is."

Ritsuko sighed.

"What? At least it wasn't a pun. Bah." Insana gave a dismissive wave as he paced back to his desk. "You really don't have to worry about me. My only curiosity is professional." He rubbed his hands and grinned. "You must tell me what you discovered working on your girls."

"You're going to have to clear that with the Commander," Ritsuko's shoulders sagged.

"Oh? Is my work that important?" Insana tittered as his lips curled into a mad grin.

"You've got the guts to an angel in there!" Ritsuko cried. "Right now we're drilling into a mountain to place N2 mines. Azazel's drawing up plans to blow the whole thing apart. The JSSDF pressed a nuclear attack jet into service. Your daughter will take to the field, Piloting a giant robot you designed. All to protect your work."

Insana gave a greasy smile. "And a damn good thing too. Those fools at the Energy Analysis Unit had no idea what they were doing! And the worst insult was that they wanted to do all the work, then ship it to me once it was operational. Me! A mere test engineer." Insana grit his teeth. "I am a scientist! Science!"

Ritsuko stared in disbelief.

Insana quivered with rage. "It's really for the best that you had your little pet kill those incompetent insects."

"Pet?"

Insana rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry. She's got a soul. Science has proven that."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I do love metaphysical biology." Insana joined his hands and wriggled his fingers "Nothing like proving those theologians right while simultaneously crushing all their hopes. Killing Angels using our unholy abomination robots!"

"They're not robots."

Insana flatly stared at Ritsuko. "I'm the one that designed their cybernetic components. It was my Science that turned them from giant piles of stinking flesh and bone into something that we could actually control. Something we could use. If anyone can call the Evangelions robots, it's me."

Insana shook and turned back to the observation window. He looked down at the massive spherical metallic enclosure with its collection of curving and spiraling conduits. "This is why I prefer robots to clones. Clones are crap. It's like filling out a form in triplicate and keeping only the pink copy."

"Bastard," Ritsuko hissed.

Keeping his back to her, Insana giggled. "How many failures did your mother have? How many did you have? Not just with your little Pilot project, but with the Evangelions."

"My mother?" Ritsuko chuckled. "I did prove myself better than her."

Nodding, Insana turned around and looked to his desk, and the golden picture frame. "That's good. Children should not be overshadowed by their parents," he admitted, his arrogance momentarily abated.

Again, Ritsuko stared.

Insana sighed. "Fine, how's this? Do you understand Super Solenoid theory? Can you comprehend the power that we are about to bestow upon mere Children?" He clenched his fists and waved them above his head. "We create life! We create power! We are gods! Gods of Science!" Insana cackled before he started giggling with a manic energy.

Ritsuko sighed. "That takes me back."

"Yes the MAD Scientists conventions," Insana shook his head. "They called me mad. _They_ called me mad."

Ritsuko laughed. "You know you have problems when Kyoko and Katsuragi think you're nuts."

"Your mother too. Bah. Too stodgy. Fuyutsuki's all that's left and he's no longer a scientist. Though he was never Mad really, merely disgruntled, disillusioned." Insana shook his head. "The old guard really didn't have the stomach for this kind of work"

"That's... reassuring."

"You sound like my old students," Insana giggled. "Half of them thought they were in Intro to Drama."

"I'll bet they did better than the other half."

Insana gave a dismissive wave. "Not by a statistically significant amount."

"And you wonder why MIT put you on permanent sabbatical."

"Yes, yes." Insana turned to the window. "So, are you going to evacuate my team before the battle or only if they cross a certain line?"

"The self destruct line is the base itself. The plan is to evac if the Angel crosses the Ueda Azumaya line."

"Halfway from Asama then..."

"The plan is to stop the Angel on Mount Asama itself, or what's left."

Insana giggled. "And things always go according to plan."

"You better hope so, you could have another rig."

"Planning a little harvest?" Insana rubbed his hands against each other.

Ritsuko smirked. "We're planning to capture it alive."

Quivering with mirth, Insana tittered. "Oh yes..." he adjusted his goggles. "There's so much we could learn, and the parts! Fresh, glorious parts. Oh, I take back my comments about your little pets."

Ritsuko smiled thinly to conceal her distaste. "I knew I could count on you."

"You tease! You could have told me what you were doing right at the start. We'll need containment facilities, dissection equipment. Yes... it should all be in stores, but there's assembly..." He turned to Ritsuko. "Do we have the time?"

"I believe you'll find preparations more than adequate."

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From her high vantage point, Asuka looked at the broad slopped, peak of Mount Asama. Save for several bright dots that ringed the mountain, the dark night dominated. Switching to night vision, Asuka got a better view of the many drilling derricks that had been emplaced.

"Remember to tug your cable every few steps up. You don't want it to get caught on the ascent." Shinju said leaning back in her Evangelion's cockpit.

Asuka bit down her retort. "Yes, and if the cord gets stuck eject the power plug and proceed to battery." She pulled the unit's head back and looked up. High above several jet contrails crossed the crisp night sky. "If the Angel is inactive?"

"Use the containment cage. If the Angel is active?"

"I provide cover. Which allows you to engage or retreat. If the mountain is too unstable?"

"We move to stable terrain our retreat covered by air support. We will then meet the Angel on more favorable terrain." Shinju shifted the large purple holster that hung off her Evangelion's right hip. "If the Angel moves towards Matsushiro?'

Asuka glared at the younger Pilot. "Intercept it before it reaches the Ueda Azumaya line."

After several seconds of adjusting her kit, Shinju looked to Asuka's display window. "It's your turn for the next question."

Asuka sniffed. "Fine, do you think these... revolvers will work?"

Shinju shrugged. "With the containment cage I can't carry the Mighty Moe or even Little David."

"Yes... I guess it's good that we don't have muzzle-loading nuclear cannons... anymore."

"We fight with what we have." Shinju closed her eyes.

Misako's image appeared on both cockpits. "Girls, the last two drilling platforms have placed their loads and are being evacuated."

Both Pilots nodded.

"What about the Russians?" Asuka asked.

"Azazel is in position."

"And the new plane will be available?" Shinju asked.

"Yes, JSSDF has authorized the YA-11. Rei is in standby with Unit 00 in case Tokyo 3 is attacked, but we can call her in." Misako smiled. "The mission will start in five. Good Luck."

Shinju turned to Asuka. "Are you ready?"

Again, Asuka held her tongue. "Yes. Are you?"

Shinju gave a tiny smile and nodded approvingly.

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In the predawn light Operation Chariot commenced. Dozens of drilled with aligned N2 devices exploded in an upward progression. Mount Asama shuddered and began to... wrinkle; its slopes contorted and shed rock in several landslides.

Sandalphon woke to see her world destroyed. A circular pressure wave shot towards her cozy home, but unlike anything she had been taught, this radius of pressure front shrank with time, instead of growing.

"Sister!" Sandalphon screamed in fright as she ascended. Looking down she saw the shockwave relentlessly collapse. Crushed from all sides, her possessions, her toys, her very home was obliterated.

Her horror was brief for another pressure wave detonated. Crying, Sandalphon fled. She ascended further and further, each time escaping the quaking, shattering, nightmare.

With nowhere to run she abandoned the only world she had known. Despite being frocked and cocooned, the bitter, biting cold assaulted her. Looking around, she froze in terror and renewed her cries and started edging back towards her collapsed home. The Fruit of Life was not ready; she was not ready.

Scrambling over rocks, two nightmares rushed towards her. They dully gleamed, their mutilated bodies carapaced in dead material. Both shone with unnatural life. Though the Enemy was brighter than the mockery of Mother. There was no compassion, no love. These beings burned with a cold, hate. The Enemy seemed especially violent; it burned with an almost bestial desire for blood.

The violet enemy hooked around and rushed her from an angle while the crimson blasphemy raised a long tube, while the other carried something that resembled her toy chest.

Sister's lessons blossomed in her mind and Sandalphon tried to dodge, but the intense cold sapped her strength and this time she bore the explosion directly. Searing white-hot heat was almost preferable.

Pained, but not really hurt she looked up to see the box slam over her, its walls flashing into existence. Moaning, she felt the container shift and jumble. "No... not like this." She whispered. "I won't die. I won't die. I won't die. I won't die." Her voice hardened and she screamed. "I won't die!"

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Tension rose in the mobile command center. Inside the glowing walls of the containment cage, Unit 01 held an immature angel. Mount Asama continued to groan and crumble but they had done it.

Then several bars began to rise on one of the displays. "Pattern blue's spiking!" Makoto shouted from his station.

"Containment power's at max," Shinju calmly intoned as she put the cage down on the slope.

"I guess nuking its hidey hole woke it up," Asuka said as she broke open her Mark 9 and swapped out the low-yield "stunner" N2 cartridges for something with more kick.

"Shit," Misako swore. She turned to Ritsuko who gave a tiny nod. Misako went back to the radio. "Standard procedure, if the Angel breaks containment kill it. Captain Zel'dovich."

"Ma'am," the Russian officer replied.

"If the Angel crosses the Ueda Azumaya line unchallenged you are authorized to use whatever means to destroy it."

Behind his mask, Zel'dovich smiled. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Do try to leave the body in one piece... if you can." Ritsuko added.

"Right... anything else you want?" Asuka demanded just before the containment cage's walls flared and blew apart.

Swelling up, the Angel rapidly outgrew its cocoon-like encasement and burst into a stocky, flatfish-like form. Powerful arms emerged behind a squat predatory face, and the body extended back with a heavy tail and thick fins.

As Sandalphon grew the air around the summit chilled. Water was the first to condense followed by carbon dioxide, and was followed by a rapid pressure drop as the other atmospheric components started to separated.

Being closer to the Angel, water and dry ice had started to cake on Unit 01's limbs and joints.

"Get down Princess," Asuka said as she aimed her frost-covered rifle at the Angel.

Shinju dropped and looked over to see Unit 02's uneven footing. "Your feet!"

Asuka pulled the trigger, but as the gun shot out a sixteen inch N2 shell at the young Angel it also recoiled into the shoulder of the Evangelion with the force of a battleship gun. The ground shifted and Unit 02 tumbled down the slope of Mount Asama.

The explosion deformed against Sandalphon's AT field, shattering the ice that had desublimated out of the atmosphere and splashing the strange clear liquid that seemed to rain out of the air directly under the Angel as it slowly floated down from the volcano's summit crater.

"Asuka!" Shinju cried, drawing her sidearm. A gleaming revolver in 14 inch caliber flew out of its purple leather-like holster and as the hammer thumbed back it was aimed squarely at the screaming Angel. Rapidly working the action, Shinju emptied the gun and leapt down the mountain.

Narrowly avoiding landing on a drilling platform, Asuka had just gotten her Evangelion back to its feet when half a dozen explosions bloomed, making it look like the mountain was erupting. She then gasped when Unit 01 landed a few hundred yards away holding one of their new, if ridiculous guns in its right hand. Lengths of power cable slid down the mountain forming a pile next to the Evangelion.

The purple Evangelion got out of its crouch and reloaded. Pulling back on a lever above the hammer, the revolver hinged open and flung out spent, smoking shells. A speed loader with six fresh, meter long, cartridges was inserted and the gun was snapped shut.

"You didn't get it then?" Asuka asked, reloading herself.

"Why's it so cold?" Shinju asked, ice was falling around them and further up the mountain nearer to the Angel, the ground was already encrusted in various kinds of frost.

Ritsuko rubbed her forehead and winced. "Living in a volcano must have made the Angel massively endothermic. And now it's forced to draw in as much heat as it can."

"And how does that help us kill it?" Misako asked.

"It's not just heat Evangelions have to worry about; they've got a low temp limit too." Ritsuko frowned at a display. "And if these sensors are right... the Angel's started condensing nitrogen."

Misako raised an eyebrow. "Do we need to call in Rei?"

"Not yet... we can't throw our full force into every battle."

"Wait.. nitrogen? So how cold is it?" Misako asked.

"Think, negative two hundred degrees Celsius."

"Enemy's coming in, six o'clock and high," Captain Zel'dovich radioed from his fighter. "Straight down the slope."

"Right." Misako went to her radio. "Wing Commander Lysaght would you kindly shoot the Angel."

"God save the queen!" Owen gleefully cried as his YA-11 dived.

Descending the mountain via floatation and two powerful ground gripping arms, Sandalphon looked up. In an instant a lance of light shot from high above and slammed into the Angel's fish-like forehead. The orange octagonal lights flared into existence, and while the AT field held, Sandalphon's head was still slammed into the mountain side. The A-11 flared its engines and twisted out of the dive. "Alright Posey, we can hurt it!"

Shinju pulled out her entrenching blade. "Pin it down then Lysaght, Asuka flanking fire, I'll kill it or at least erode its AT field."

Seeing Shinju running towards her, Sandalphon pulled herself forward and launched herself at the Evangelion, clawed arms outstretched. Swinging low, Shinju tried to chop at the Angel's belly with her progressive shovel.

The combat spade neared and was caught by the floating Angel. The glowing edge dimmed as all the heat drained and the progressive blade slowed and stopped vibrating, its components too cold to function.

AT field flaring, Unit 01's hand twisted and in a rain of fresh ice wrenched part of the spade out of Sandalphon's hand.

The giant fish-like creature glanced at the spade head it still held. Then the handle slammed down.

"Now, Owen! Don't you miss!" Shinju cried bludgeoning the Angel, causing its AT field to flare into existence.

"Right Posey" Owen's gravelly voice assured. "Well, let's see how much blood's in ya!" The railgun fired and a line of dozens of hypersonic sabots marched across the Angel's back.

Sandalphon screamed as the barrage pounded her AT field..

"Cry some more!" Shinju screamed as her cudgel snapped. Without missing a beat she thumbed back the hammer to her revolver and fired into the Angel's head.

Howling, Sandalphon shot forward, grappling with Unit 01.

Feeling ice cover her Evangelion's arms, Shinju fired two more rounds. Then the ice grew too thick and she could no longer index the cylinder. Snarling she whipped the barrel of her sidearm across the Angel's face. "Little help, Red!"

"Not letting you solo on this one, Princess." Unit 02 had sidestepped the Angel and shoved her Mark 9's barrels into the Angel's long belly. Before much ice could form, Asuka fired, blasting the Angel off Unit 01.

Sandalphon rolled a few hundred meters away and Shinju, looking up, caught a clear glimpse of the YA-11's main guns. A burning beam skated over the writhing Angel. The ground around it was blasted and torn apart, but the AT field resisted. The Angel's power extinguishing much of the weapon's intense heat. The plane turned and the barrage abated.

As that happened, Shinju drew her progressive knife with her off hand and leveled her revolver which had thawed enough to allow it to cock. Sandalphon rose up and darted towards Unit 02 who was reloading. Asuka tried to bat the Angel aside, but had her legs swept by the creature's immense tail.

Taken to the ground, Asuka felt the extreme cold bite into her Evangelion as liquefied nitrogen and other gases poured onto her. Flaring her AT field freed her joints, and Unit 02 let go of the rifle with one hand and reached for her progressive knife. Then the sky lit up with a pseudo-sun appearing right over Unit 02 and the Angel.

After emptying her gun, Shinju thrust forward with both hands. Shimmering and flaring, her AT field wrapped around the knife and gun. "AT Field Red! Pour it on."

Screaming, Sandalphon felt the pressure from two angles. The Angel squirmed but the intensity was too much. In a moment of weakness, the AT field flickered off and two blades sunk into the Angel's spongy flesh.

Once embedded the blades turned brittle and shattered, but it was enough. "Push, Red! Go, go push Angel!" Shinju yelled, as Unit 01 grabbed the squirming, freezing Angel and shoved.

Unit 02 reached out. Gritting her teeth, Asuka felt the Evangelion's hands numb and then burn. AT fields flaring in synchronization, the pair succeeded and the Angel, its own field flickering in and out, tumbled off Unit 02.

Unit 01 clung onto the Angel's back. "Hit it!" Shinju shouted.

Owen obliged. A pure white beam of light shot down. Speared by the inductive beam Sandalphon's head blew apart. "Open your heart!" Shinju screamed as she scrambled over the thrashing body and using her Evangelion's numbed hands ripped the core out of the Angel's neck. Blood spewed from the wound and Sandalphon's body partially deflated.

Standing amid billowing steam and other rapidly evaporating fluids, Shinju held her bloody trophy to her chest. "I've got the core. Request orders!"

Misako blinked. "Yes, we actually got the damn thing alive." She smirked. "Good job you two. I guess we'll need another containment cage."

Looking up at the display Ritsuko exhaled. Her eyes went from the shining crimson orb to the Angel's bloody corpse. "Kill it."

"What?" Misako asked.

General Yubari's image appeared on one of the teleconference displays. "Doctor, I'm confused. The whole point of this mission was to capture an Angel alive."

"The aim was to capture an immature angel. This one woke up; we can't contain it." Ritsuko said, going over various readings.

The window showing Yubari panned over to reveal General Ishikari. The slightly younger JSSDF officer cleared his throat. "Sir, this scenario was outlined, and frankly I have to agree. A live, fully functional angel is too risky to contain."

"Requesting orders," Shinju interjected. Through the Evangelion's broken hand armor she could feel the core vibrate, shuddering, almost whimpering. The cold seemed to wax and wane.

"The only other option is to studying in situ, but that will require remote operation and commit the Evangelion squadron or Azazel, because this creature will wake up."

"Azazel would be happy to provide security for any on-location examination," Captain Zel'dovich offered in a slightly bored tone.

"Noted." Ritsuko looked up. "Gentlemen, we have a chance to study a complete core at our leisure, or we can take the risk of fighting this battle all over again."

"Approved." Ikari's image appeared. "Pilots, you will kill the Angel in the manner Dr. Akagi prescribes."

Hearing a faint crying, Shinju slowly dipped her head, while Asuka crisply nodded.

"Asuka is your progressive blade functional?" Ritsuko asked as she started collating data from the scanners.

Unit 02 picked up its progressive knife, flipped it over, and released the second blade.

"Good, I'll feed the coordinates on where to hit to your targeting computer. Shinju I'll need you to hold the core perfectly still."

Asuka maneuvered Unit 02 so that it stood before Shinju. The redhead, grinned. "No tricks from this bastard, eh Princess?"

Shinju stared blankly.

"Targeting information should be on screen," Ritsuko said. "Just stab straight in to the hilt."

Asuka thrust forward; the core crystal cracked; the crying ceased.

Deeply exhaling, Shinju blew out a small bubble of air.

"Good job girls," Misako radioed. "Hang tight and we'll bring up the equipment and collect the remains. And start repairing your Evas."

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"Ooooh, pretty flowers, who gave them to you?" Tokiko said as she leaned over Mikki's low secretarial desk.

Suppressing an expression of annoyance, the auburn haired woman looked up and forced a smile. She felt it was far too early to deal with people, but such was life. "It's a gift." She returned to carefully placing the flowers in a gold foil box.

"Couldn't wait until Valentine's day?" Tokiko teased, straightening her side ponytail so it fell back behind her shoulder.

"Actually, it's for one of the pilots." Mikki's smiled, showing her teeth.

Tokiko giggled. "Those Russians are pretty cute, in a very rough way."

"Yes," Mikki's smile thinned as she straightened her glasses. "Did you hear about the accident?" she asked looking out the expansive window to her left. A corner office, and an expansive windowed ante-room were all expected perks of a man of her boss' stature, including the perky secretary.

Tokiko tapped her chin. "Is that what it's for? I thought it was for today's battle."

Mikki focused on the flowers.

"You didn't hear? It was all on the news. Nerv killed an angel before it could even attack."

"Yes... I heard." Mikki kept her voice even.

"So... for a pilot? I guess the black and white roses are for mourning, but what about the purple and yellow flowers?"

Mikki turned back to her coworker. "Everything has a meaning. People attach abstract values to objects; it's part of being human. Reality is insufficient, extra meaning has to be attached to everything."

Tokiko rolled her eyes. "Yes that's why I asked why you picked those flowers." She stared at her fellow secretary.

For just a moment, Mikki's eyes had gone cold. The spark of life extinguished and a pair flat grey orbs stared out. "I'm sorry?" Mikki blinked and then giggled. "What did you say?" She asked as she slipped a book entitled "The Language of Flowers" into her purse. "I sort of ditzed out there for a bit."

Tokiko raised an eyebrow. "Right. So are you trying to snag a pilot's heart or express your condolences?"

"Why can't it be both?' Mikki said coquettishly as she gave the bouquet one final adjustment before sealing the box closed. "It's important for the pilots to know they're not alone. Tragedy is a part of human existence."

Watching Mikki gaze out the window, Tokiko bit her lip. "Yes, I think the Second Impact proved that."

"So it did." Mikki gave a dreamy smile. "How old are you?"

"Mikki!" Tokiko cried.

"I'm sorry," Mikki bowed her head. "What I mean is that you can't remember much of the Second Impact. You were very young girl then."

"Well, so were you."

"As you say." Mikki smiled and nodded. "But I fear..."

"What? You think we'll get another Impact?"

Mikki tilted her head. "Isn't that what the whole war's being fought over? If an angel gets into the Geo-Front it's all over."

Again, Tokiko glared. "Not so loud Gombe-san will hear you."

"Oh, Nanashi doesn't mind. His company is here to make sure things don't go wrong. Why do you think we're here anyway?"

"That's true." Tokiko nodded. "We are doing our part to stop the Angels."

"Yes well, I've got some flowers to drop off at the mail-room," Mikki said as she picked up the bouquet box.

"I hope you get your pilot."

Mikki smirked. "Me too."

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Admiral Sudoplatov tapped the conference room table. "I suppose it's a functional enough weapon, for a gigantic white elephant."

"The YA-11 may be large, but it does fill a tactical gap," General Yubari stated.

"I thought the Evangelions were the gigantic white elephants?" Ritsuko removed her glasses and placed them on her notes.

"Do not disappoint." Beria smiled. "In expense, the Evangelion is in a class of its own."

"I'm just relieved we did not require Azazel's... assistance."

Sudoplatov laughed. "Nothing would please me more than never having to detonate another device. The enemy forces us to use terrible, terrible weapons. The less the better."

"It is shocking when the nuclear powered attack plane is the least destructive weapon in our arsenal," Misako frowned as Ritsuko went to a Magi station and started putting battle footage on the wall displays.

"And a minimally effective one at that," Beria noted.

"It managed to pin the Angel in place." General Abukuma remarked.

"A newly hatched Angel."

"We knew nothing short of another AT field, or a nuclear device could touch an angel. This weapon was designed to support the Evangelions and provide precision firepower after the enemy AT field has been eroded." General Yubari inclined his head slightly. "In that regard, it succeeded."

"Agreed. If we have another Israfel situation, the YA-11 will really clean up." Sudoplatov grinned.

"The mission was not all a success," Beria cautioned.

"The Magi clearly lined out the risks and what would happen if the Angel prematurely awakened," Ritsuko stated.

"Magi," Beria snorted. "You rely too much. They are machines not sages. What happens if someone takes them out? Tools break."

Ritsuko glared at the engineer but made a node on her pad.

"Yes, containment failed on the Angel." General Yubari looked to Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki.

"Given the Angel's location, waking it up was a known risk." Fuyutsuki looked to the video of Sandalphon being caged and then breaking free. "However, we have learned much. Our early warning and detection systems have proved successful. We know that we can contain a pre-awakened Angel. We have another cadaver to examine. We know how to extract a core with minimal damage. And, of course, we defeated the enemy."

Yubari leaned to Ishikari. "Do you propose capturing the next Angel?" He asked after conversing with the younger general.

"If possible. This will require finding the Angel before it fully activates. Once activated the AT field and regeneration make containment impossible."

"And who examines the Angel body?" Beria asked.

"Our biological section has handled the analysis and salvage of the flesh, while the Professor Insana of the High Energy Research Lab will consult on the core." Fuyutsuki stated.

The balding Russian engineer grinned. "Ah yes, enthusiastic fellow?"

Ritsuko shivered slightly.

Beria continued. "Nerv First Branch if I remember, wait no... he got reassigned to Second after his... sabbatical at the university." The Russian shrugged. "He's your Super Solenoid researcher, previously he did the systems integration for Project E. Interesting man."

Ritsuko forced a smile. "His expertise in high energy systems and Metaphysical Biology give him insight on how Angels generate and use AT fields."

"Of course," Beria bowed his head. "He has experience."

Yubari sighed. "Enough sniping on the dubious manufacture and expense of Project E."

"Indeed." General Abukuma turned to the Vice-Commander. "Will you be able to learn from what you've captured today?"

Fuyutsuki nodded. "Thanks to Warrant Soryu and Dr. Akagi we have a nearly intact but safe core to examine."

"Soryu's performance has improved. Was it just a problem of experience then?"

Misako nodded. "This is only her second engagement, which ties her with Rei. It took time for her to catch up to the new training standards."

"The Fourth is at her fourth too?" Beria grinned.

Sudoplatov turned to his engineer. "Today we see the treachery of Nerv. By using this new plane they have assured that our beloved Captain Zel'dovich has fallen behind, and now their Pilot is one victory away from being the first Angel-War Ace."

"Purely a fortuitous coincidence," Misako stated.

"This battle was less of a challenge," Yubari admitted.

"Preemption has its advantages," Ritsuko said.

Misako looked to the image of the mountain devastation. "Though now we don't know what that Angel's plan was."

"That level of heat absorption could have caused a lot of damage. Especially, if we assume the Angel would have grown in power at full maturity." Ritsuko said.

"Following the previous attacks and the location, can we presume that the Angels are attacking supply and development sites?" General Yubari asked.

"Attacking our supply?" Misako asked. "That could be... devastating. Tokyo 3 is the only city protected by functional Evangelions, but many components and systems are manufactured elsewhere."

"The nuclear powers do have contingencies in place for their major cities." Sudoplatov stated.

"The bomb is hardly a surgical device," Ritsuko stated after a moment's silence.

"It's more numerous and more responsive."

"Right, I'll have Captain Horaki from Section Four draw up a list of possible targets," Misako said.

Yubari exhaled. "The Angel's attention on Tokyo 3 and the Evangelions has worked to our advantage."

"So has their development cycle." Sudoplatov dryly added. "So far the Angles have obliged us by attacking one by one."

Folding his hands before him, Fuyutsuki gave a slight smile. "We have our own reinforcements."

Ritsuko nodded in understanding.

Sudoplatov raised an eyebrow.

"The Marduk Institute has found the next Pilot."

"Finally!" Misako exclaimed. "What about getting Unit 03 from America, then?"

"Commander Ikari is talking with First Branch to arrange transport." Fuyutsuki narrowed his eyes. "We will not allow a repeat of the Unit 02 debacle."

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"Man I can't believe I missed the battle," Kensuke cried as he and Toji crossed the concourse of Tokyo 3 international. The steel and glass structure was awash with people. Most were in civilian dress though a sizable majority wore the uniforms of Nerv, Azazel, and JSSDF.

Toji shook his head. "You wouldn't have seen it anyway. It wasn't anywhere near the city."

"But they used that new plane!" Kensuke burbled.

Toji rolled his eyes. "You sound like my little sister."

A few paces ahead of them, Shirane giggled, only to be elbowed by Nozomi.

"Hey! You act like it's girly to be into military stuff."

"Gee..." Toji rubbed his chin. "Have you looked at the Ayanamis? Shinju? Even Asuka."

"It's not girly!" Kensuke wailed.

"So... going to be wearing frills and lace next?" Toji smirked.

"Come on! You didn't tease me like this while we were on vacation."

Ahead of the boys Nozomi and Shirane giggled.

"You weren't gushing about liking all this girly stuff."

"It's military! Look at Asuka."

"The girl with the updo and red gown?" Shaking his head, Toji grinned.

The only noise was the rush of people walking around them

Toji stopped. "Ken..." He looked up and saw a platoon of Azazel troops in battle dress, rifles held close to their chest with the barrels facing down on a diagonal. In the center of the group was a figure with pink hair an red eyes.

"Toji Suzuhara," Misako stated as the Russian troops encircled the four students.

"Uh... yes?"

"Tomorrow morning you have an appointment with Commander Ikari."

Toji stared.

"Oh wow!" Kensuke cheered while Shirane grinned.

Toji glared at Kensuke. "Shut up you!"

Misako lifted her hand and pointed to the teen. "Until that time you will be assigned an Azazel contingent." The Russian troops slightly shifted their stance. Toji went from being on the outside to being on the inside.

"Wait... what? Don't I get a choice?"

"That will be decided tomorrow." Misako turned to one of the Russian officers. "Captain Sakharov you have the Child. Make sure he makes it through the night."

Sakharov saluted. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Good." Misako looked to the two girls. "Nozomi, your sister says hello and reminds you to come home and have dinner with the family tonight."

Shirane smirked.

"Yeah, yeah," Nozomi sighed. "So, Shinju's got another victory party tonight?"

Misako nodded. "Of course, but you can't go."

"At least we'll get a cool ride home," Shirane smirked.

"But..." Toji blinked.

Looking between the Russians, the retreating Ayanami, and his friend's little sister and her friend, Kensuke rubbed his chin. "Maybe you're right. Maybe this military stuff is pretty girly."

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Shinju adjusted her dress. "It's a shame you weren't in today's battle."

Rei blinked. "Why? The Second's performance was adequate."

Putting her headband on, Shinju smiled. "I missed you."

After examining the younger girl, Rei nodded.

Shinju straightened her hair band. "Well, I'm ready!"

"Yes." Rei smiled slightly as the two left their apartment.

Passing a couple Azazel troopers they crossed the hallway and knocked on the door to Asuka's apartment.

Answering the door Katrina, let the pair in. "She'll be ready in just a minute."

Shinju was drawn to the bouquet on the kitchen table. "Oooh, pretty flowers."

"Those just arrived. A bit gaudy, but ..." Katrina shrugged.

Passively waiting, Rei glanced at the flowers.

"I'm wondering if I should just leave this here." Katrina muttered, picking up a box full of hair care and styling tools.

Rei raised an eyebrow.

"I shouldn't complain, I'm the one that suggested it to her."

Shinju giggled.

The German woman shook her head. "Right, well I'll see you at the party." Carrying her box, she left the apartment.

About a minute later Asuka burst out of her room "Did Katrina leave already?"

Rei gave a curt nod.

"Drat, I was going to ask her about eyeliner." Asuka flipped her braid over her shoulder.

"Your eyes look fine," Shinju said.

Asuka sighed. "Princess... I'm not sure I want to take make up advice from you."

"But you want Lieutenant Diebner's?" Rei asked.

"Hey, she does my hair!"

"Yes."

Asuka's glare softened slightly. "You might have a point. You wear plain white dresses so very well. The look really complements you."

"Your clothing is also very complementary," Rei deadpanned.

"Hey!"

"Translucent skirts, yellow gowns work for you." Shinju offered. "And heavily lacquered hair."

"It's just hairspray."

Frowning, Shinju looked to the table. "So... you got new flowers."

"Yeah, and they're fresh too. Guess Section Two's getting better at their job."

Shinju nodded.

Black-tipped white roses dominated the bouquet. "There's just something about me getting creepy roses, and the maple seed pods that's just weird," Asuka said.

Leaning in Shinju sniffed the flowers. Blinking, she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, there's mint in it. Strange. At least the Bird's-foot Trefoil are cute."

Shinju frowned.

"The little yellow and red flowers. I had to look up what it was." Asuka explained.

"It's very cute. I really liked the purple ones." Shinju said, referring to some tiny asymmetric flowers. They consisted of five petals, three large ones on the lower half, with two smaller ones on the top.

Rei stepped closer to the bouquet and carefully examined its composition.

Asuka smirked. "You would. Those are called Lobelia."

"Sounds cute."

Chuckling, Asuka shook her head, causing her heavy braid to swing. "Princess. Princess." She gave the bouquet a last fond look and followed the sisters out of the apartment.

As they descended the stairs, the expected sounds of merriment and celebration increased. When they entered ground-floor lounge however silence reigned. Standing in the middle of the trio Asuka smirked proudly at the hushed collection of soldiers and pilots. The biggest change from last time was the addition of the YA-11's crew, many dressed in their Republic jumpsuits.

"I could get used to this," Asuka muttered.

Scanning the crowd, Shinju looked for Igor and found him near the buffet chatting with the YA-11 pilot and chief engineer.

Wearing a padded brown vest over slacks and a button-down shirt, Owen's lanky frame stood well above the others. "And then the little Posey jumps right on the creature's back. There's ice everywhere. And what does she do? She rips the damn thing's heart right out." Owen shook his head and took a sip of vodka.

Igor laughed loudly and enthusiastically. "Yes, that's how she fights. Full of life, full of death!"

"She's got spirit," Owen agreed in his gravely, raspy voice.

"It's interesting that the Evangelion's armor held up so well." Hiram, in a grey suit with a string tie, noted. "With the cold and all."

"Is good weapon." Igor looked up and saw the crowd part. A figure in purple and black, ribbons and ruffles strode down the void formed by the separating Nerv and Azazel troops. "And here Pilot!"

Shinju nodded to Owen. "Good shooting."

Owen cracked a smile. "Well, aren't you dressed all pretty," he said looking at her frilly dress. "I thought those getups were just for the propaganda posters."

Shinju blushed.

"Look around, Nerv's got cameramen out." Hiram pointed to a couple of Section Two agents who were holding up video recorders.

"Feh, well isn't that great." Owen sighed.

"Really? One of Charlie's Cheaters complaining about some morale boosting?" Hiram teased.

Owen sniffed and looked down at Shinju. "Bit of advice Posey, it's the job that counts. All the posters and newsreels are just fluff; fluff that can be made up after the fact."

Shinju nodded.

Owen rubbed his chin. "Still, you fight well. Hard for little girls."

"Must be the training," Shinju blushed.

Igor smirked.

"There you are." Smiling, Misako walked towards them. Rei, who was carrying a plate followed.

"Ah here's the First Child," Owen remarked.

Rei blinked and picked a rice ball off her plate.

Owen looked over the three sisters. "Middle child then?"

"Hah! It shows then?" Misako laughed and sipped her drink.

"Well, the ages make it obvious." Owen stepped over to the buffet and picked up an apricot and turned to Shinju. "You should really eat something."

Blushing, Shinju went to the buffet line.

"She really is something else," Owen laughed.

"That she is," Misako agreed.

"And the other one?" Owen looked to Asuka who was chatting with Katrina and Zel'dovich.

Misako raised an eyebrow. "Asuka? She's more than a handful."

"Good enough Pilot though," Owen said.

Smiling, Misako took a sip. "You don't know what means to me."

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Noting the older scientist's composure break, the little blue haired girl's mischievous smile died.

Arms shot out from Dr. Akagi's looming, scowling figure. Red eyes bulged as strong hands encircled and squeezed a tiny neck. The little girl's face filled with fear, confusion, and pain. Unable to scream or cry out she was helplessly throttled until a sharp crack reverberated through the laboratory. Numb, the girl's vision dimmed into nothingness.

Yelping, Shinju flopped to her side and shivered. Crawling under the collection of fluffy comforters she found one of her stuffed animals. As the angel doll softly sang she cried for a couple minutes.

Rising to a sitting position, Shinju shook her head at the glowering vision of Dr. Akagi but not Dr. Akagi. The face was off... it was too old, too angry, and the hair was too dark. Pulling at her choker, she undid the new fish-shaped fastener, and placed it on her nightstand. Moving her hand a couple inches over she picked up her Makarov and slipped it into one of the pockets of her ruffled nightgown.

Rolling her shoulders and twisting her neck, Shinju walked to the bathroom sink and drank some water.

Returning, she heard faint whimpering from Rei's room. "Oneechan?" Eyes flashing in the darkness, Shinju slid the door open with her left hand.

Rei was alone. Tossing about the teen's normally placid face was scrunched up. "No, don't leave. Father..." she muttered as she rolled over.

Shinju knelt down and put her arms around the clone.

Snapping awake, Rei's eyes widened, then relaxed. "You woke me."

Shinju released the hug and rose up. "You were having a nightmare."

Rei blinked. After a few seconds she nodded.

"Is it because you did not fight?" Shinju asked, still sitting next to her sister.

Rei frowned slightly.

"I've had similar.... dreams. Did the Commander ever leave you?"

"No." Rei's quiet voice had a touch of pride.

Smiling, Shinju put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "You're not alone."

Confusion crossed Rei's face. "Alone?"

"Abandoned?"

Rei looked down, and drew the covers up around her shoulders. "We have our purpose."

Eyes sparkling, Shinju grinned revealing her teeth.

"I was not that loud; you were awake, then." Rei ventured.

Shinju lowered her head, causing her bangs to fall over her face. "I had a nightmare of my own."

Rei reached out and slid some Shinju's strands aside.

"Do you trust Dr. Akagi?" Shinju whispered.

"Which?"

Shinju tilted her head, causing her hair to fall forward again. "Is it a concern?"

"Do not worry. If there is a problem the Commander will take care of her." Before the last word Rei stopped for a bare moment. In that moment a tiny, transitory, trace of a smile flickered into existence.

After giving Rei another hug, Shinju returned to her feet. "Should we tell Oneesan?"

"If you have problems sleeping, yes. In that case, Dr. Akagi should be informed too." Eyes shining, Rei tilted her head fractionally. Noticing the clone's bare neck she almost frowned. "Congratulations on your kill."

"Thanks!" Shinju grinned. "And the Second's performance is no longer a great concern."

"She is one of the Children." Rei nodded. "Good night Sister."

"Night, night!" Shinju cheered before returning to her room.

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Toji was led into the cavernous office. The polished and inscribed stone ceiling pressed down on him while the wall to wall, full length windows gave a vertigo inducing view of the Geo Front below.

Sitting at an imposing, yet plain, large but too small for the room, desk was Commander Ikari. Light from the windows behind him illuminated his sides, while casting his face in shadows.

"Mr. Suzuhara." Gendo stated while Misako nudged Toji forward.

The teen stepped closer. Looking away from the glowering man, his eyes locked onto the desk's only personal effect: a silver-framed picture.

"You are the Fifth Child. You will Pilot Unit 03."

Toji exhaled. "Yeah, I guessed this... why me?"

"The Marduk Institute has determined that you are a likely candidate."

"Took them long enough." Misako cracked a smile.

"Don't I have a choice?" Toji demanded.

"Of course you do. We are having this meeting," Gendo stated. "If you agree you will be tested for synchronization and your training will commence."

"Do you even have Unit 03?" Toji blurted.

Gendo's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Much of your training does not require an Eva, especially at the start." Misako said.

"And if I say no?"

Gendo's eyes went to the picture on his desk. "I won't to appeal to your patriotism, or your sense of adventure, I won't try to bribe you. I won't guilt you with reminders as to what Evangelion's only effective alternative is." Gendo looked into Toji's eyes. "Instead, I'll say this. We have proven that the Children's younger siblings can also pilot. If you refuse; I doubt your sister will make the same choice."

Toji clenched his fits. "You... she's just a kid."

"I've already shown myself more than willing to put one preteen girl into battle."

"If anything we've shown that little girls can kill Angels just fine," Misako added.

"So, that's it then. You'll either risk my life or hers." Toji demanded.

"You misunderstand Mr. Suzuhara. The choice is yours. You can either fight, or send your little sister in your place."

Toji's arms shook.

Gendo nodded to Misako. "Personally, I have no need for cowardly soldiers. Agree or get out of the way."

Misako stepped forward and put her hand on Toji's shoulder.

Shrugging free. Toji inhaled. "Fine. I'll do it. But I have one condition."

Gendo pushed his glasses up. "Good, you're not totally spineless. Name it."

"You won't draft my sister into this. I'll be your Pilot, but you won't push her into an Eva."

Ikari cracked a slight smile. "Agreed. Welcome to Nerv Warrant Officer Suzuhara."

End Chapter 6

Writer's Notes: I'd like to thank my pre-readers DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray, Ikarus, and Kevin D. Hammel. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to.


	7. Reductions and Acquisitions

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Sunshine Temple

Here's the disclaimer of non-ownership: Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Team Fortress 2 is owned by Valve. The Spoony Experiment is owned by Noah Antwiler

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Seven: Reductions and Acquisitions

Clenching the guardrail, Toji looked across the coolant lake. The purple fluid lapped against the walls of the immense chamber and submerged the trio of Evangelions up to their shoulders. Even with most of their height beneath the waves the immense war machines loomed over him, leering.

Toji closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. If a pre-teen girl could do this then...

"You must open your heart," a gentle voice whispered behind him.

Swearing in shock, Toji spun around and looked down. Eyes wide, almost doll-like, and expression neutral, the Fourth blinked and looked up at him.

"That many ruffles shouldn't be silent."

"Training," Shinju said. "Infiltration, anatomy, assassination." Her eyes sparkled briefly.

"Right," Toji drawled.

"Your back was very exposed, and your plug suit won't offer that much protection."

"You..." Toji stepped back bumping against the railing.

"Don't worry." Shinju smiled. "If I had been ordered to kill you, you'd never know." Giggling, the red eyed girl's hand vanished into the ruffles of her dress. A split second later she had palmed a long thick-bladed stiletto. "Practice makes perfect." She assured, making the blade vanish again.

Swallowing, Toji wondered how much truth there was to the rumors his sister told, especially about the pigs. "How... nice."

"Don't worry. You passed the Test Plug."

"Aren't those just simulators?"

Shinju nodded. "Still, most people can't even use those. If your heart is open you'll Pilot fine." Her smile slowly evaporated and her face returned to neutral. "Or not."

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"What's wrong?" Hikari asked as she opened her lunch.

Leaning on the tree trunk, Asuka looked at the sky through the leaves. "It's... nothing."

Hikari looked to Rei who sat inside the security cordon but a bit away from them. "Shinju's not here..."

Asuka snorted and started picking through her lunch. "No, it's got nothing to do with Princess."

"Really? Then where is she?"

Asuka did not look up. "Nerv stuff."

"And where's Toji?"

Asuka silently opened her drink and sipped her cherry soda.

"You know how excited Kensuke was this morning, and yesterday..." Hikari blushed.

"What did he tell you?" Asuka evenly asked.

Hikari looked at the Azazel guards, then looked down. "I'm not stupid. I know he was stopped in the airport when we got back from vacation. I know he's gone today."

Asuka gave a curt nod.

"So, why are you so bent out of shape?" Hikari smiled. "At least it's not another Ayanami."

"Please, keep this quiet." Asuka looked the freckled girl in the eye. "They don't know if he's a pilot yet."

"But if he is-"

"Yes, he'll get the full propaganda treatment. Posters, interviews, newsreels, and action figures. Hardly a secret, but if he isn't in, well best to let that pass quietly."

Hikari blinked. "Wow, that's pretty mature of you."

"He just got this dropped in his lap. Wondergirl and I were raised for this, even Shinju knew she'd be an alternate Pilot. That's a lot of pressure."

"Again, why are you so irked, then?"

Asuka sighed. "Because he's gonna use my Evangelion."

Hikari laughed. "Really? Is that all?"

Asuka pouted. "They say he's going to try all three, but I know he'll end up using mine. Wondergirl's isn't as up to date, and Princess' is far too temperamental."

"Well it's not like you're gonna have to share... right? I mean wouldn't he get Unit 03?"

"Whenever that comes," Asuka snorted.

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Hearing large diesel engines, Shinju looked out the window and saw a pair of BTR-80s pull into the compound and park. "Your brother's back," she said returning to her homework.

"Shame I couldn't see him pilot," Shirane pouted looking out at the apartment building's patio. A couple of Azazel troops stood up as the security contingent from the armored personnel carriers approached.

"It would have been pretty dull. There's a lot of testing," Shinju explained.

The door opened and two Nerv warrant officers entered. "Oooh, you made it!" Shirane exclaimed as Toji walked into the lounge.

Toji adjusted his tan Nerv tactical uniform. "Yeah..."

"How'd you do?"

"Adequate enough," Asuka smirked glancing between Toji and Shinju.

"So his heart was open?" Shinju asked.

"Yes Princess. He synchronized well enough. Though he couldn't even break thirty percent in your temperamental Eva."

Shinju smiled slightly. "He'll be getting a production model anyway."

Shirane looked around Toji's waist. "Where's your guns?"

Asuka's smirk grew. "He hasn't got any yet."

Toji pinched the bridge of his nose. "They're taking me to the range next."

"Good." Shinju closed her textbook and notebook and began putting them away.

"You're coming too?" Toji looked at the ruffled girl. "Of course you are."

"Gunnery skills are vital." Shinju stated.

"I've gotta agree with Princess on this," Asuka nodded. "We can't have sloppy shooting in battle."

Slinging her backpack on her shoulder, Shinju turned to Igor and in a sweet voice she said a couple sentences in Russian.

"Not enough sad eyes." Asuka cracked a smile. "Why don't you curtsey too, Princess?"

Shinju nodded and lifted at the edges of her dress and bobbed down with her knees.

Igor laughed. "Dah, we can bring her."

Shinju smiled. "Shirane, since they'll be doing the basics with Toji anyway, would you like to come?"

Shirane squealed in delight. "I've been waiting for this!"

"Nozomi's gonna be so jealous," Shirane grinned.

"No sis... she's not a military okatu."

"Fine, then Kensuke's gonna be jealous." Shirane stuck her tongue out.

Toji looked to Asuka. "Are you sure she'll be safe?"

The redhead snorted. "Please, the Russians watch us like hawks."

Igor nodded. "If we fail, shallow Siberian grave, best case."

Asuka shook her head. "Princess, Rei's at the range with her body gaurd, they went ahead to set things up while one of Pyotr's men picked up your range bags."

Shinju nodded. "Oneechan always picks the best targets."

Exiting the apartment building, they crossed a side yard and approached a new cinderblock building. Roughly square, it was about thirty meters to a side. They passed through a double set of doors placed in very thick walls and entered a vast room that took up the whole building's space.

From the entrance they walked into an alleyway formed by a long bench that divided the alley from the rest of the room. A thick earthen berm filled the far end of the room and had thick metal plates that bounded the side walls and ceiling at oblique angles.

The alleyway's walls were covered in cabinets of supplies, targets, and ammunition. Opposite the entrance was a storage room with even more equipment, and the back wall of the alleyway had more benches for equipment set up.

Ahead of them, Katrina placed a long red luggage-like case on one of the wall mounted benches, while another Azazel trooper wheeled a blue and a purple case to another bench.

Seeing them enter, Rei stopped working on one of the mannequin-like targets with Pyotr and crossed the range and entered the alleyway.

Toji looked at Rei's red-lensed glasses. He then saw Asuka put on a green-tinted pair and Shinju slip on a purple set before handing a spare orange pair to Shirane.

"What... color coded?" Toji asked.

"Personal taste. Each tints your vision in different ways," Katrina explained as she handed a pair of yellow shooter's glasses and ear protection to Toji. "For all range work, especially indoors, you will wear these at all times."

"Okay," Toji shrugged. "But can we try the other colors later?"

Igor hefted the long black case onto the work bench and opened it. Looking into the padded confines, Toji stared. The case was dominated by an immense double-barreled weapon. Even disassembled into two pieces, barrel and stock, the gun ran the length of the case. Below that was a compact folding stock Kalashnikov carbine with a couple of curved magazines.

Arrayed on the bottom were a series of handguns in decreasing size. On one end was a five inch barrel reproduction Schofield break action revolver, and on the other was a compact little autoloader that could fit on Toji's palm. In between was a progression of various 7.62x25mm Tokarev and 9x18mm Makarov pistols.

Toji gapped at the double barreled rifles. "What are those?"

"Scale models of our Mark 9s. Fifty caliber BMG," Shinju explained.

"We going to shoot those?"

"No-way Rookie," Asuka snorted. "The backstop's nowhere near thick enough for that. It'd blast right though."

"Huh, cool," Toji said as he reached out and had his hand knocked away.

"No," Katrina picked up a dainty-looking bolt action gun. "We'll start you on this."

"What?"

Shinju and Asuka grinned, while Rei's eyes widened slightly.

"22 caliber long rifle," Igor explained as he took a matching gun and started showing it to Shirane. "Simple, easy shoot. No scary recoil. Good for babies to learn."

"Babies? Asuka's thirteen and Shinju's twelve."

"Toji... they know how to shoot. They've fired sixteen inch artillery, with N2 warheads, in battle," Shirane hissed.

Asuka smirked.

"First you shoot safe. Then you shoot well," Igor droned.

"And after that we'll get more of the fun stuff," Katrina added.

"Shooting is fun," Shinju happily agreed, pulling a tiny handgun out from the ruffles that went over the back of her blouse and then removing a larger one from an "inside the waistband" hip holster hung from her skirting and concealed by her blouse. The magazines were ejected from both weapons, their slides were locked back and were then placed on the other work bench.

Toji raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were into knives."

Shinju blinked. "I have to choose?"

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Mikki looked across the table. "I fear we will lose the war."

Her companion stared. "Defeatism? From you?"

The secretary smirked. "You don't know about the enemy. Not like I do."

"Oh?"

"I have the clarity of vision, the wisdom of experience. I've read many reports on the Enemy's strength and am positioned to learn much about their abilities."

"Yes your... job."

"It brings me critical information." Mikki adjusted her glasses. "Information that benefits you."

"Yes Sister, I've seen your generosity in action," the strawberry blonde snarked, flicking back long hair that contrasted greatly with her skin tone.

Mikki's eyes narrowed. "No one was forced to take my advice."

The auburn-haired girl's sister leaned back. "So its all the Enemy's fault?"

"Do you think I wanted little Sandi to die that way?" Mikki asked.

The dark-skinned blonde blinked. "Interesting."

"It's a term of affection," Mikki crossly said.

"I know, Dear sister." The other girl smiled. "It's charming in its way."

"We are fighting this war for love."

"I suppose that describes our urges." Running a hand along the table, the other girl leaned back. "Tell me... how are you perceiving this little meeting?"

Mikki narrowed her eyes.

The blonde chuckled and looked down at herself with mock shock. "Bilateral symmetry!" She shook her head.

"You know my... limitations." Mikki looked down.

Her sister reached out and patted her hand. "And it's charming in its way," she repeated.

Mikki adjusted her glasses. "Here's where your concerns come up."

"Why? Your advice has yet to claim victory but it has made a difference. Israfel was a fascinating demonstration. A true shame about Sandi." The sister smiled, showing her teeth.

"And that's why the humans are a danger. They're attacking us before we reach maturity."

"And thus defeatism?" The girl looked at her nails with surprise and wriggled some of her fingers.

"The Fruit of Knowledge is dangerous."

"Yes, yes it enables them to learn the secrets of the Fruit of Life. Unlike those who will remain nameless, I read the 'reports' you bring me."

"She's got a good heart," Mikki pouted.

"I don't deny her heart. I question how long she'll last when the time comes."

"If the Enemy doesn't get her first," Mikki reminded.

"Yes, well, what you propose..." Distaste crossed her face. "It'd be fighting fire with fire."

"The enemy is not so squeamish."

"Oh yes, why not become like them?" The blonde glared at her sister. "What you propose is almost an abomination."

"The Fruit of Life is powerful, we can use it. You can use it. Don't you care about Mother?"

"You really have no shame."

"The humans taught me well." Mikki smirked.

Her sister rolled her eyes. "Your plan disturbs me."

"You are not alone. However you are here."

"You know why I'm here."

"Sandi?"

The girl shrugged. "I expected her to die."

"Because you thought you'd be the one to free Mother."

The strawberry blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Of course you did."

"She didn't have to die that way."

"This is war." Mikki laughed. "And here you are eager to learn. Eager to avoid your sisters' fates."

"I said what you proposed was abominable, I didn't say you were wrong."

Several feet away from the table and couches, a door appeared. Simple and plain white, it had far more definition than the firmament it emerged from. The door opened and a large, stout girl stepped through. Her hair was a short glossy black that was pinned with two-triangular eye themed barrettes.

The blonde snickered and glanced at Mikki. "Your imagination's really something."

The new girl bowed her head and kneeded her hands over the glossy material of her blousy dress. "I... uh... I didn't know you had company."

"Nonsense we're all family here," Mikki beamed and pointed to an open spot on the couch. "Please sit."

The new girl blinked in confusion but complied.

The blonde scooted over. "You're... looking well, Mattie," she commented with a little smirk.

"Oh, now you'll use nicknames?" Mikki asked.

Mattie frowned. "Why are you fighting?"

The blonde sighed. "We're not fighting. We're just teasing each other."

"We can do that?" Mattie blinked.

"Yes, sister. It's allowed."

"Why?"

"It's emergent behavior from differences in ego and knowledge." Mikki explained.

Mattie narrowed her eyes fractionally. "But we do all want Mother, correct?"

"Of course." Mikki smiled. "But it's not that simple."

"Yes, I have to agree with that," the blonde sighed.

"We want Mother, but first-" Mikki's smile revealed her teeth. "-we have to kill the monsters holding her."

Mattie shivered and turned to the girl sitting next to her. "Sister?"

The dark-skinned girl nodded. "Yes, you saw what they did to Sandi. They're monsters; monsters that have to be stopped."

"But aren't they only human?" Mattie fidgeted with her hands. "I mean when you get past the blasphamy of mother's flesh, they're humans in control. Humans are easy to kill."

"That's right." Mikki smiled.  
"Kill the puppeteer and the puppet stops."

"They're not really human though." The blonde raised an eyebrow. "You should be well aware of that."

Mikki tapped the table. "One of them is. The one that killed Sandi. The one with the most anger. The one with the least control."

"The one easiest to kill?" Mattie asked.

"But the humans use more than abominations." The blonde crossed her arms over her chest. "What of the blasphemy that killed the first of us to attempt to rescue mother?"

Mattie looked down. " They have machines that can destroy your soul. How can we fight that?"

"Do you not want to avenge them?"

"No... I want to make them pay. If Mother is to be saved, they must die. All of them."

Mikki smiled. "And what will you do?"

"Whatever it takes."

"As I was discussing with your sister, we must learn from our enemy." Mikki smirked.

The blonde nodded. "It's only fair, they've shamelessly stolen from us."

"And we must face reality. This is their world. They have had plenty of time to prepare their defenses and build their weapons. They have the edge."

"But only one of us needs to get to Mother to win," Mattie said.

"There are billions of them. They can sacrifice untold numbers of their own if it means one of us will fall. Meanwhile we number a mere sixteen."

"Ten," the blonde corrected. "Assuming you can find everyone. Assuming those you find want to be found."

Mikki nodded. "The humans are picking us off. We must respond in kind."

Mattie looked up. "I'll do it."

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"This is the life!" Kensuke grinned as he followed Toji down one of the apartment block's hallways.

Toji raised an eyebrow. "I've spent the last week getting my butt kicked by little girls. One of which is younger than my sister. I don't even have my own mech so I've got to share with Rei and Asuka, and if you think the Kraut's happy with that..." He shook his head."

"But I saw the video of your air drop. That had to have been cool."

Toji sighed. "It was terrifying."

"You get to drive a giant robot and shoot things, and come on, the girls love it. The uniform alone."

As they passed a machine gun position, Toji rolled his eyes. "Yeah... it was pretty neat when I got my jump wings. They ran off a whole poster on that."

"See! You're going to be a hero. Think of the babes," Kensuke cheered.

"Yes, Rookie, think of them, because right now this geek's your biggest fan." Asuka smirked, walking up with a grocery bag in her arms.

Toji sighed. "You just love not being the new Pilot, don't you?"

The redhead smugly nodded.

"Why did you buy food? Don't you have people for that?" Kensuke asked.

Asuka sniffed and looked to Toji. "Since you'll be living here, a bit of advice. Do some stuff yourself. Having Russians at your heel all the time gets pretty old." She turned to the squad of guards who were waiting at her heel. "You guys are just doing your job, but do I miss my privacy."

"Shinju likes them," Toji said.

"Princess likes everyone." Asuka's gaze slowly returned to Kensuke. "And be careful listening to your geeky little friend. Especially on how to pick up 'babes'."

"Don't listen to her, you'll have lots of girls. You're the only male Pilot."

"Yes, with the bar that low how can you lose?" Asuka smirked.

"By competing with Shinju," Toji stated.

"Princess is annoying like that."

"You got beaten by a little girl?" Kensuke asked.

Toji sadly nodded.

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "What kind of geek are you? Don't you follow all of our newsreels?"

"I thought that was acting. You know, playing it up for propaganda purposes."

Asuka shook her head. "Rookie, you may be real green, but at least you're not a moron."

Toji gave a bitter laugh. "No Ken, if anything they tone her down."

"Remember the time at the Takanosu Range when she strangled your Eva with your own power cord," Asuka said.

"Technically it was your Eva."

"Strangle?" Kensuke asked. "It's a robot."

"Robot or human, it's hard to move with a rope around your neck," Toji explained.

"She yanked you right to the ground with that move."

"Crazy little girl."

Asuka nearly dropped her bag. "Finally! I'm not alone."

Kensuke took a step back, and eyed the holster on Toji's hip.. "So, when are you going to take me to the range."

Toji rolled his eyes. "You and my sister."

"Well she lives here, she can shoot whenever she wants," Kensuke whined.

"It's not a game." Toji sighed. "I have to do this crap because they expect me to kill giant aliens and I'm doing it so my sister doesn't have to."

"Stop it Rookie, you're approaching tolerable."

"Faint praise, just like my dad," Toji leaned against the wall.

"At least you get that much," Asuka grumbled.

"You'd think a guy that works for Nerv would understand."

"Still a dopey jock." Asuka laughed. "Thank God, for a moment I thought you were almost intelligent."

"What?" Toji asked.

"I think she's got issues with her father," Kensuke ventured.

Asuka gave a thin grin. "You have no idea."

"Well why? Isn't he proud that you're a Pilot? Or is he worried about your safety?"

Asuka laughed. "So deluded... If he cared about my Piloting it'd only be because it proved the effectiveness of the Evangelion parts he had a hand in creating."

"So... he's some kind of scientist?" Kensuke asked as the lights flickered on and off.

"Some kind." Asuka glared.

"Huh... power surge?" Toji asked.

"Maybe." Asuka then blinked at one of her guards. "What's wrong Anatoly?"

Sergeant Zlatoust looked up from his radio. "Urgent, you're needed in the Geo Front." He nodded to the men of Toji's detail and went back to his radio. "Yes, Fifth and Second are here. Understood."

Watching Asuka unsnap her holster and place her groceries on the floor, Toji swallowed. "So, an Angel?"

"No word." Zlatoust stated. "But we must hurry to the lift."

"What about me?" Kensuke asked.

Zlatoust nodded to one of his men, who calmly led the boy with rimless glasses away.

Watching his friend leave, Toji felt himself prodded in the shoulder. Surrounded by Russians who now held their rifles at the ready, they raced to the basement and passed a set of heavily armed checkpoints.

Their destination was an elevator. It was polished and had slightly thicker walls to the shaft than normal, but it was still an elevator. Further in the basement behind the shaft he could hear several diesel generators chugging along. Just before the doors closed, he got a glimpse of several pairs of blood red eyes.

" Scheisse, you're too slow Rookie. We missed it!" Asuka swore.

"Best if we split you up. It'd look bad if we lost all the Pilots in one elevator crash." Katrina said, entering the room.

"Right." Asuka tapped the butt of her gun. "Oh! I left some groceries in the hallway outside my apartment. Can you have someone put them away for me? There's nothing that'll melt, though the sausages shouldn't be out for too long."

"You're talking about food?" Toji asked. "You might have to go out and fight an Angel."

"Yes, I'd imagine killing a giant monster would work up quite the appetite," Asuka dryly retorted.

A merry chime came from the elevator and the doors opened, revealing an empty cab. "Alright, get in," Katrina ordered.

Following Ausuka, Katrina, and a couple other Naval Infantry troops, Toji stepped in. The doors closed, the cab went down. First with a slight lurch, and then with more... haste causing the bottom to drop out of Toji's stomach.

After what felt like a twisting, shifting fall the cab slowed and with another cheerful chime came to a rest and opened its doors, revealing a another concrete chamber, this one full of Ayanamis and Russians.

Stepping out of the cab, Asuka paused to slap Toji on the back. "Hell of a rush Rookie!"

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Darkness dominated the Command Center. While the individual workstations were illuminated with their own backup lighting, the bulk of the cavernous room was shrouded in darkness.

"Pilots have arrived and are proceeding to the Eva cages ," Makoto announced holding a landline phone instead of his normal headset.

"What is the Magi's status?" Fuyutsuki asked.

Ritsuko looked up from her own station. "Isolating external connections right now." She returned to her own phone and a laptop displaying a schematic of the Geo Front on it. "Go to access room 17-S on that level. You'll find two conduits. Cut them. Yes... remove the shroud and hack at the wires... Use a damn axe then! I want at least five centimeters of air isolating those circuits!"

After a few more lines of dialog she hung up the phone in disgust and pulled it over, cord and all to Maya's workstation. Where it and the laptop were dumped in front of the brunette. "Um... sempai?" Maya asked.

"This computer's got blueprints of the GeoFront. It's not on the network and its wireless has been turned off. Keep it turned off and it will be safe to use. The external connections for the Magi and the nearest maintenance stations are highlighted."

Ritsuko showed a different window on the computer screen. "You call them, use the displayed passcodes and get those connections cut and the transmitters and receivers powered off. Leave the following connections open." Ritsuko indicated the links. "This will limit the options of hardware infiltration, allowing me to concentrate on defense."

Gendo smirked. "Good work Doctor."

"Yes, every attack needs an ingress point," Yubari added after talking with one of his staff.

"Any word from your people?" Gendo asked.

"That was Major Osumi. He had just gone topside and confirmed that cell phone service is out and used a long range radio to get into contact with JSSDF Headquarters. They're under a similar attack."

Gendo nodded. "And Azazel?"

"Sir, we've lost contact with Admiral Sudoplatov. Setting up backup communications lines now," Shigeru responded.

"External sensors? What kind of attack is this?" Gendo demanded.

Ritsuko switched between her workstation and another "quarantined" laptop. "Sir, we detected a flash of Pattern Blue before the Magi started giving self-check errors. Nothing much after that, until the sensors started giving off steady readings, too steady."

Yubari winced. "System spoof then."

Ritsuko nodded as she worked. "Yes, real instruments give errors, glitches, little fluctuations. This was canned stuff, and when we started sending anti-virals they pulled the plug."

"Reactive then?" Gendo asked.

"Yes, clever bastards. That's why I'm cutting all access."

"What about your phone system? Can they get into that?" Yubari asked.

"The exchange system predates the magi. It was put in when we were building the GeoFront; totally analog and we've got guards in the switching rooms."

"Could someone cut into the lines and gain control that way?" Gendo asked.

"No Sir, it's voice only. They could try to give conflicting orders but that's why we've got the passcodes and anything really important like an Eva launch will be done face to face."

"Do we need to launch?" Misako asked as she ran into the Control Center.

"Are the Pilots ready?" Gendo turned to the clone.

'They're suited up and I ordered the technicians to prep all three units. The Fifth child is on standby."

"Power?"

"They have enough internal power to activate and get to their battery packs. We have enough for an hour of operations. After that we need more packs or working main power."

"Good work, Captain. Get in contact with the airbase, and make sure the transports are readied." Gendo frowned. "Though I fear the Evangelions won't need to travel very far. Doctor Akagi, I want the sensor system back up. I don't care if you have to put people with oscilloscopes at every station, find a way. Right now we're blind."

"Sir," Ritsuko nodded.

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Lying on his back, Owen Lysaght lounged on a bunk. Due to the crammed space, his knees were drawn up to where they bumped the bunk above him. "Huh... really don't see the point of adding a battery," he muttered, turning to a new page of an arms catalog.

There was a brief alarm and the intercom clicked on. "Hey Owen! Get down here."

Owen rolled out of the bunk and hit the cockpit button on the intercom. "What's the deal John?"

"Just got an alert from base, something funny's going on." John Evelyn, the copilot, said.

Owen swore and pressed the "call all button". "Everyone get to your stations, and buckle in. This is not a drill."

As Owen stood up two other technicians who were resting followed him out of the bunk room. They passed a section that accommodated a kitchenette and a couple of bolted down tables and benches. After crossing a short corridor that had the plane's bathroom on one side and stores on the other, they entered a long room that ran the majority of the plane's upper deck.

Containing several monitoring stations and sensor displays, it resembled a cross between a submarine's control room and a nuclear reactor's control room. Going down the central aisle, Owen made sure the various technicians were strapped into their chairs.

Owen did a headcount, everyone was accounted for. "Make sure everyone's cleared the gun deck," he ordered, taking the precaution anyway.

He then went to the front of the command deck where it stepped down and became the cockpit. Evelyn had already shifted to the copilot's seat.

"No bloody relief pilot on this mission," Owen grumbled as he buckled in.

"It's supposed to be a short patrol," Evelyn said before keying into the radio. "Yankee-Alpha-One-One to base."

Putting his hands on the control stick, Owen's expression focused.

"We receive," Misako's distorted voice cut in.

"What's going on?" Owen asked as he looked over his displays. "Have you dropped the data feed?"

"I did," John interrupted. "On their orders. We're only receiving audio, no data at all."

"We have a power situation here. Primaries are down."

Owen exhaled. "Sabotage then?"

There was another bit of distortion and General Yubari's voice faded in. "-quarantine. I repeat. Quarantine your systems."

"Already done, Sir." Owen replied.

"Good. I'm in the command center and it's all blacked out. We just lost contact with JSSDF HQ at the Narashino Garrison. Word from Azazel is that someone tried to hack into their base too. Their radios are still up, they're launching more fighters and the Evangelions are ready to sortie.

"Attack?"

"We haven't picked anything up yet, but it's pretty obvious." Yubari exhaled. "If we drop off and you don't regain contact with General Ishikari at Narashino follow Azazel. If they drop off, you're authorized... act as the communications hub."

"Yes, Sir."

"This is, Lieutenant Ibuki," A young, if strained, female voice cut in. "I'm going to give you the channels and codes for our early warning stations. This way you can contact them direct, if... we go offline."

"Right," Owen turned back. "Hey Fred! Are you getting this?"

Fred Vickers, the radar operator, raised his hand in thumbs up.

"Go ahead Lieutenant," Owen said, glancing down at the peaceful-looking lakefront city below.

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Warrant officer Suzuhara watched as titanic restraints were retracted, freeing the three Evangelions. Instead of being transported to the launchers via the large crawlers they were mounted on, the towering war machines freed themselves and trudged off.

Fingering the skin tight material of his plug-suit, Toji shook his head and returned to the ready room. There was a chance he would be needed, just as there was a chance that one of the other Children would not be able to Pilot. "Good luck," he said to the giant retreating figures as he met up with his escort and walked to the Command Center.

Entering the large, multi-tiered room he momentarily expected to see the giant holographic map and the view screen that dominated the entire fore-wall. Instead there was just darkness and a few light screens and even a large folding table that had map of the city pinned to it.

"Evangelions are halfway to the surface," Makoto announced.

"We really need to have auxiliary power for the Eva launchers," Fuyutsuki muttered.

"It's not the launchers that are the problem, it's the doors and the track system. Those require computer timing and organization. If the doors don't open right or the tracks aren't set then all we're doing is rocket-launching a Unit into an armored bulkhead," Gendo replied.

"Visual confirmation of Angel!" Shigeru announced. "It's roughly... spider shaped, with a black body and four long spindly legs. Approaching from the South. It's still two kilometers from the city."

"So this was all to allow it to get close," Gendo stated.

"Any closer without a response from you and Azazel would have nuked it," General Yubari pointed out. "They started screaming at us ever since one of their air patrols spotted it."

"Which makes our communications failure a critical component of the enemy's attack plan," Gendo replied.

"Make sure the Pilots are in direct communication with the jets." Misako ordered. "They need this information more than we do."

"Pilots have reached the surface," Makoto announced. "Intercepting with Angel.

"Communications assault abating. We've got 80% control of remaining channels," Maya announced. "Counter virus programs coming up empty."

"What the hell?" Ritsuko went to the secondary display on her workstation. "Lines are... clear." Typing on the keys, she blinked in shock. "Finalizing isolation and system reset. Rebooting in autistic mode."

"Narashino is online!" Shigeru announced.

"Azazel reports the attack on them just stopped," Makoto announced.

"The hackers are retreating?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"Perhaps their purpose is at an end," Gendo stated.

"An attack with limited objectives," Yubari nodded as main power was restored and the emergency lights were relieved. "How were the counter-viruses progressing?"

"They were starting to extract some data, Sir." Maya announced.

"Bastards," Ritsuko spat as the command center's holographic displays were restored. "They knew we were coming so they pulled the plug."

"Director, Lieutenant keep on the intruder's trail. We can't let them get away," Gendo ordered.

"Sir, the Angel... it's attacking, I'd guess." Misako said, pointing to one of the newly restored displays.

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Just entering the outskirts of the city, Matarael stopped its lumbering march forward and with a lurch spewed from the gaudy false eyes that adorned its carapace several dozen greenish-black balls that slowly uncurled their four legs. Puffy, ball-like, and each bearing a large yellow eye, the stubby little green spiders the Angel shot out looked comical. The impression continued until one of the automobile sized floating spiders bumped into an office building. With a sharp pop, the spider burst spraying thick orange liquid in a heavy mist.

Watching the building collapse and disintegrate, as well as bits of its neighbors, Shinju frowned. "Owen, can you kindly hose the Angel's friends."

Flaming hypersonic sabots scythed through the swarm, reducing the street, the buildings, the block surrounding the angle into an orange slurry with vague outlines of what the area used to contain.

"Nice Princess, now it's got its own moat," Asuka groused. "Why does it have to be exploding minions?"

"Be careful, this could be how it'll keep you from closing in," Misako advised.

The Angel shuddered and dozens of the little spider-orbs budded off of its shimmering carapace. Flaring little AT fields, they shot out in several directions. Many went toward the Azazel and JSSDF planes and were shot down before they could close in. Raining acid over the city. The bulk of the remainder split into three groups and harassed the Evangelions.

"They are definitely learning," Gendo noted as he watched explosions, missiles, rail guns, and angelic acid destroy whole neighborhoods in a swirling maelstrom.

General Yubari looked at the battle, and nodded. "Shinju, Rei. Concentrate your fire on the Angel. Asuka cover their backs. Lysaght keep the sky above them clear. Zel'dovich your men cover Lysaght."

"Yes, Sir." Asuka cried, as Unit 02 flung its arms over its head as the spiders exploded and the acid ate into the arm armor.

"Clever bastards, they must have broken into our communications to delay us. Now we've got to fight them in the city."

Gendo nodded. "Making us slightly less willing to use our big guns."

"And causing us to forfeit most of our defensive depth."

The red Evangelion moved its burned arms, crushing many of the next swarm. The next wave impacted on near top of the head and the shoulders, but most were crushed between her AT field and the the entrenching tool's rapidly corroding blade.

"Turn, you slow bastard!" Zel'dovich screamed at the nuclear ground attack plane. He triggered his 30mm cannon, firing across the lead spider, which blew apart, its acidic guts hitting the spiders immediately behind it. They blew apart, releasing their payloads, causing a chain reaction.

The remaining dozen spiders scattered and continued on their course towards the giant plane. Then with perfect synchronization they stopped and dove straight down, their vectors all pointing them in the same direction.

"Red above you!" Zel'dovich shouted.

Asuka turned to look up and saw the swarm shooting towards her, their AT fields flaring. The bombardment struck, and while her own field held, it was being corroded by the angels' acid and AT fields.

Orange slush sluicing down her AT field, Asuka looked back to see the giant spider-like Angel leap forward, vomiting a mass of spider-orbs. Focused on Unit 02, Matarael ignored the other two Evangelions.

When the Angel landed, Unit 00 sliced through one of its front legs, and Shinju jabbed forward with the Mighty Mo and emptied both barrels. The back half of the Angel exploded in a riot of orange and red goo.

Still Matarael was focused and sprayed a thick stream of acid from its mouth towards Asuka. Unit 02 brought its arms forward and blocked with the remains of its, AT field strengthened, spade. Mortally wounded and being hacked apart, Matarael flared with satisfaction. As it sprayed the Evangelion, the last dozen spider orbs snaked over and down, slamming into the Unit's back.

First their AT fields eroded the enemy's field, then their acid eroded the enemy's armor. Leaking through the seams and cracks in the armor, the acid poured over the Evangelion's internal components.

Between the shoulder blades these were the spinal assembly, the plug socket, and the plug itself. Several alarms went off, blaring in Asuka's ears as she felt her Evangelion's throbbing, boring pain. Then plug began to creak and scream as the LCL started to discolor.

Finally the acid eroded the enemy.

Asuka screamed and tried to cover her face with her arms. The acid burned at the gloves of her plug suit, but they held. The cuffs were another matter... There was a snap and in her plug suit puffed out in a cloud of bubbles as it released its hold and compressed air to expand from skin tight to baggy. Unfortunately the expansion caused a high concentration of acid to be sucked into the space between the suit and her body. There it stuck and pressed to her skin, setting her body afire, especially her limbs which rapidly numbed.

Unit 02 collapsed and was caught by Unit 00, keeping it from falling into an orange pool.

"Get Asuka out of here!" Shinju ordered Rei.

After a split second's study of her clone's face, Rei nodded and pulled Unit 02 in a fireman's carry.

Placing Unit 01 between Matarael and the retreating Evangelions, Shinju charged forward. "I'm going to kill you and _kill_ you and **kill** you!"

"Ayanami here, request medical evac. Heading north west." Behind her, Rei felt he heavy thuds of N2 detonations and heard the steady shriek of the YA-11's rail gun fire. "Rendezvous with evac team or proceed to Geo-Front myself?"

Misako swallowed. "Evac team is on approach, they're flying on a southwest heading."

Rei spotted the pair of heavy VSTOLs. "Visual contact. Eject plug," she requested, placing Unit 02 on its knees.

The command center transmitted the plug eject code, but Rei had to help force the battered and melted armor aside and then gently pulled the plug out. Taking care to orient it properly, Unit 00 placed the plug on the ground just as the VSTOLs landed.

The shift in speed was almost comical. The medics ran as fast as they could to the burned, distorted and leaking plug and stood back as they hit the LCL evacuation command. Filthy, reeking LCL poured out as the plug drained both via pumps and holes burned in the bottom of the plug. Once drained the medics tore the hatch open. Then, under the shadow of Unit 00, they gingerly, slowly evaluated the pilot and readied stretcher and life support equipment for extraction.

As they secured the pilot down, her suit flopped and squished. Amorphous and bendy, the Pilot's extremities moved more like fluid-filled bladders than limbs. Under the too large plug suit, her body seemed bloated and misshapen. A nightmarish mixture of dilute acid, LCL, and organic materal oozed out of the plug suit's lose neck hole.

Occasionally when an arm or leg flopped over bits of bone would press against the suit providing some distortion. The rigidity decreased with extension, leading to gloves with no discernable joints.

Her face was a horror. It looked like a melted candle that had then been nibbled and clawed at. Several ugly gashes revealed bone and much of her soft tissues had burned away revealing teeth, sinuses, orbitals, and other internals. The penetration was relatively shallow, but that was cold comfort to the mindlessly whimpering mass that was quickly sedated and bandaged up. Her heartbeat and lungs were still strong and helped keep her alive longer, and conscious longer too.

Not relishing their duty the medics cut holes in her plugsuit and... drained. The garish fluid that poured out was only a prelude to the nightmare that awaited them when they started cutting the suit apart to cauterize wounds and tie off arteries. Sure that her caustic cargo would not crash the plane, the medics then loading her into the VSTOL and continued to work.

Surprisingly little of her skin stuck to the suit. However her limbs were as expected. Cleaning, cutting, and containment was the order of the day. The organs in her fairly intact torso were cared for and stabilized. Her brain was watched and sedated. The rest... was expendable.

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Gendo looked up from his desk. "Professor, I have been expecting you."

"Really Commander, what clued you in? Was it the progressive security system failure, or that my daughter is a mutilated vegetable?" Sneering, Insana waved his gloved hands, sealing the door behind him.

"I could have you shot for treason. Base systems had been compromised precluding an Angel attack, and here you are breaking into my office."

Insana adjusted his goggles. "Please, if sabotage were my aim I'd be in the Eva cages, or I'd bide my time and wait until you try to install one of my S2 engines." The scientist giggled. "That'd be a fun activation."

A smile flicked across Gendo's face. "And hence you are still alive."

Shuffling forward, Insana looked to Ikari's desk and smirked. "Doubtless you know why I am here then."

Gendo looked up at the scientist. "I am... perplexed. There are official channels."

"But none with enough time!" Insana shook his fist. "I must get to her! Before your incompetent lackeys do."

Gendo cracked a smile.

"I did qualify my statement with incompetent." Insana placed his gloved hands on the desk. "Do you really trust Akagi with such delicate work?"

"Oh, I think I can handle things," Ritsuko said, entering from a side door.

Insana straightened and spun towards her. "You!"

Ritsuko sighed. "Commander, must you humor this man?"

"A parent's will is a powerful thing, especially when unencumbered by a surplus of morals." Gendo pushed his glasses back into place.

"Tino, we will make Asuka whole again." Ritsuko assured stepping closer to Insana. "I promise."

"Really? Going to cook up another clone to shunt her soul into?"

Ritsuko stared while Ikari inclined his head slightly.

"Please... you're nowhere near as clever as you think." Insana picked the silver picture frame off of Gendo's desk. "I told you before once you start pulling threads and unraveling the lies, the only question becomes what the last Matryoshka doll is.

"You lose the Third Child and replace him with the First's younger sister. Perfectly acceptable. Until then the Fourth would have been too young. Then we have Captain Katsuragi's replacement..." Insana tittered. "Really you overplayed your hand there. You really should have let your prototype die. She served her purpose, you knew the process worked."

"Bastard!" Ritsuko cried slapping Insana across the face.

Gasping, Insana slowly straightened his goggles. "Thank you. That proves my hypothesis nicely."

Ritsuko's hand twitched.

"I don't know quite how you did it, but Metaphysical Biology does allow the possibility." Insana grinned. "Was it the radiation? I suppose the right dosage range would give you a window, before their deaths. Tell me, who was the First Child? Was she the prototype? Or maybe a testtype?"

"That line of questioning is over." Gendo stood up. "Focus on your daughter, Professor."

"Yes, Commander." Insana looked out the floor to ceiling windows. "So my theory is correct. You plan to shove a copy of my daughter into one of your clones. Then abandoning her to her fate."

"Salvaging can save her life!" Ritsuko cried.

Insana gave a greasy smile. "What happened to Katsuragi's body then? What about the Third Child's? Were they allowed to quietly die? Did your shiny new clones get to watch? Or did you just put them to sleep, like ailing pets?"

"Thin... ice," Ritsuko hissed.

Ikari sat back down and steepled his hands before his face. "And what do you propose?"

"My daughter isn't dying."

"She's lost most of her limbs and what she hasn't lost is covered in chemical burns. She'll be in a wheelchair the rest of her life, if she's lucky. Not to mention her eyes!"

Insana removed his goggles. "You followed my little blackout. You know I visited her first. As your wheelchair comment, as simplistic as it is, implied, she can be stabilized. There's no need to rip her soul out." Smirking, Insana stepped forward. He looked Ritsuko in the eye. "Tell me Director, are you certain that your little girls are... all there?"

Ritsuko set her jaw.

Nodding, Insana turned back to Gendo. "Is that a trace of doubt Commander?"

"Not at all. You must know that I'd put the Second through any procedure. Provided it had a chance allowing her to Pilot. Clearly, you have your own plan."

Insana giggled. "Oh yes, and I can guarantee mine will have better odds than the good Director's."

"And how do you explain that?" Ritsuko demanded.

"Simple, if my method fails, we can always dump her into a waiting clone. I propose my method first, if it works, Asuka will be healthy and get to keep her soul. If it fails... you'll get another clone."

"What do you propose then?" Gendo asked.

"This." Insana slipped his goggles back on and made a few motions with his hands. The office's display screens descended from the ceiling. Several schematics of human and Evangelion figures with annotations appeared.

"Interesting." Gendo looked at the images. "You intend to use flesh from Unit 02."

Insana tittered. "Yes Commander, the regeneration is quite adequate, in addition to the other properties."

"Grafting Evangelion flesh..." Ritsuko blinked. "When did you come up with this?"

"Oh, on the flight down from Matsushiro." Insana grinned. "Don't be so shocked Director. It was your white paper that inspired me! What was the line from the abstract?"

Ritsuko's eyes widened.

"Ah yes, 'The present research and development focuses on modifying an Evangelion to accept a Pilot, but the reverse is a valid principal that should be explored at a future date.' "

"That was theoretical!"

"Yes, and I intend to put it into practice."

"We can't graft bits of an Evangelion to her! Especially based on some doodles you made on the flight over here."

"Yes, I suppose your little clone project was full of rigor and not rushed in the slightest." Insana cackled.

"We know my procedure works!"

"Mine doesn't rip your soul out!"

"Enough." Gendo stated, smirking behind his hands. "Professor. I want a draft of your procedure. Outline all the major steps and the risks. You have four hours."

Insana shivered. "Yes, Sir! You won't regret this."

Gendo turned to Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi you will evaluate his draft, and suggest improvements where needed."

"Sir!"

"No. I will not have my scientists sabotaging each other. You are both correct. Dr. Akagi, your procedure functions, but risks losing the Second Child. Dr. Insana, your procedure is radically new ground, but has less catastrophic risk. Unlike before, the Second is stable this gives us time to expand our knowledge base."

"Yes!" Insana shook his fist. "Oh, I knew you had a Scientist's thirst for knowledge, Sir!"

Ritsuko frowned. "Commander, you're not authorizing experimenting on Asuka are you?"

Gendo smirked. "Your forget, all the Children are our experiments."

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Misako stepped into the observation suite. On the opposite side of the glass was the operating theater. Mute, the pink-haired woman watched as the surgical team busied about the patient.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for the debriefing?" Ritsuko asked, entering the small room. She placed a small tablet computer on one of the lecture-hall style desks.

"I wanted to see her. Damn angels."

Ritsuko locked the tablet's screen before Misako could look on it. "Yes, nasty work."

For a couple of seconds both women watched as the doctors cleared around the patient. The bandages and probes were a blinding antiseptic white that clashed with the horror of much of her exposed... flesh, though not much was exposed. A black chamfer-edged lid slid over the sarcophagus-like bed. The lid was unadorned save for a window that would have shown the patient's face with a simple blue cross below. The lid locked into place sealing the Pilot inside.

"At least she'll be... stable," Ritsuko frowned.

"It was the LCL." Misako laughed bitterly. "I'll never complain about having to breathe that stuff again."

"Yes, it counteracted the acid's effect... mostly. Without it..."

Misako nodded. "What are we going to do?" Misako turned to the scientist. "No, what are you going to do?"

"The Commander is considering options."

Misako waved a hand over herself. "Isn't the solution obvious?"

Ritsuko clenched her jaw. "An... alternative presented itself, the Commander is insisting we explore the feasibility."

"Great, play science games while we're down a Pilot."

"You just got your spare," Ritsuko reminded. "And you can still do in a pinch."

"Please, the kid's greener than Asuka was and I'm hardly better. Granted, he's got a better attitude and doesn't have the bad training to undo, but Asuka was competent. Before today, her last two missions were fine."

"Are you blaming today on her?"

Misako narrowed her eyes. "No. You saw the battle; Matarael sacrificed itself to get that hit on Asuka, not the Evangelion. Asuka. It went right for the plug."

"Yubari's not going to like that."

"The coot's right. The Angels are getting smarter. It knew where the Pilot was. It picked one Evangelion and concentrated on taking out that specific Pilot."

"And outside of the Evangelion?"

"I told Azazel to be on the lookout for assassination threats. Right now my sisters and Toji are down here. It's the safest. I'll send them home once things stabilize and they've got a chance to reorganize the compound's defense."

"Assassination? What do you think they can do against an Angel?"

"Who says anything about Angels?" Misako crossed her arms over her chest. "The communications blackout gave Matarael the chance to close into the city."

"Yes, the attack went after Azazel and the JSSDF as well. JSSDF was completely knocked out, and Azazel's more primitive systems worked even better than ours."

"It could have been much worse. Your little laptop caches and using the old phone systems kept us in the fight," Misako patted her shoulder. "You really saved us."

Ritsuko laughed.

"What?"

"I put those things in place because of Beria. The disheveled arrogant insulted the Magi and I wanted to make him eat those words."

"Well, it worked." Misako smiled and shook her head. "Still we've got to worry about some sort of... Quisling I guess."

"Quisling?"

"Traitors, humans helping the Angels." Misako smirked. "Unless you think Matarael hacked into the computers as it tried to melt the city and kill Asuka."

"Don't be silly." Ritsuko picked up her computer. "It wasn't Matarael, but it was an Angel. The signals were too fast to be human, but too adaptive to be artificial intelligence. The attack almost overwhelmed the Magi."

Ritsuko continued. "We only won because we cut down the access points and then the thing ran. Plus the sensors detected Pattern Blue inside the system. Had to be an Angel."

"Another Angel?" Misako asked" That's not good."

"Yes... we haven't seen them team up before."

Misako shook her head. "No, it's not that. Israfel proved they can split up. So why not have more attack?"

"Then what?"

"It retreated." Misako leaned against the glass of the observation window.

"Yes, after we spotted Matarael, the attacking Angel retreated. There was no point in harassing our systems and we were starting to counterattack."

"Angels don't retreat. Ever." Misako's hand formed to a fist. "They keep coming. They fight until you kill them. Shit. They're getting way too smart."

"What do you suggest?"

"Two things. We need to learn more about the Angels. Operation Chariot was a good start; we need more like that. Also we have to keep adapting, look at how much the angels have evolved. To keep beating them, we have to keep ahead of them."

Ritsuko looked down at her tablet. "That's what I'm afraid of, and that's why I think the Commander is willing to be... creative with Asuka."

"Really?" Misako raised an eyebrow. "More creative than what you did with me and Shinju?"

Ritsuko shrugged. "We'll see what the Commander wants."

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Igor at her heel, Shirane stepped into the Ayanami residence. Crossing the kitchen, she came to the living room. Over the sound of sirens, she heard a chair creak as Igor sat down and braced his carbine against a wall, within easy reach. Looking into the living room she was unsurprised to see a few more Azazel Naval Infantry on alert.

It was much the same in her own apartment, they went straight from being surrounded by guards in the shelter to being surrounded by guards in their apartment. More came in when her brother finally arrived and went straight to a chair and zoned out. A similar sight greeted Shirane in the Ayanami residence. Rei and Shinju were at the couch reading.

"So..." Shirane cleared her throat, causing the two girls to look up. "Something bad happened. We didn't get nuked so you didn't lose."

Stopping her music player, Shinju removed her ear bulbs and looked down at her book, while Rei closed her novel and held it atop her lap.

"I saw my brother, he's real shaken up. Told me he didn't fight though, and here you two are." Shirane chewed her lip. "Was there another plane crash?" The young girl looked between the two pilots. "Was it Asuka?"

Shirane watched the pale blank faces and saw Shinju sniffle slightly while Rei winced. "Oh... so..." She sat down in a chair opposite the couch. "How bad?"

Rei quietly waited, but Shinju held her tongue. "The Second is still alive," Rei eventually said.

"Well... how bad?" Shirane's question fell onto mute sisters. "Did they even tell you?"

Shinju gave a tiny nod

"What happened to her?"

"Angel's attack got into the plug."

Shirane's eyes widened. She had seen the initial news reports. Several blocks and buildings were simply gone, eaten by an acid the Angel created. "Well... how is she?"

Shinju glanced at Igor. "They won't let us see her."

"I'm sorry." Shirane sighed with realization. Refusing visitors was rarely good.. "I really... Does this mean my brother might take over Unit 02?"

Shinju gave a little smile. "Doctor Akagi is working on it. She'll find a way."

With eyes ever so slightly narrowed, Rei glanced at Shinju.

"She's a brilliant scientist and a great doctor," Shinju demurred.

"You don't sound that confident," Shirane noted.

Frowning, Shinju tugged at her choker.

"The doctor is one of the Commander's most trusted and capable personnel, and the Second is a-" Rei's slight pause was only noticed by Shinju. "-valuable member of the team. Everything will be done to prevent her loss."

Shirane gave a wan smile. "You're really choked up about this?" She looked to Shinju. "Both of you."

"I just hope she's not alone," Shinju whispered.

Shirane nodded; she had a hard time imagining what it would be like, alone in a hospital. The girls sat quietly for a couple minutes, listening to the sirens and emergency vehicles. Occasionally, a jet would pass overhead.

"How is the Fifth doing?" Rei asked breaking the silence.

"Shocked, he won't tell me what he saw, but since he didn't Pilot today..."

"He'll get better," Shinju simply stated.

"How can you be sure?"

"He has you; he has us." Shinju gave a smile. "And I don't think your brother is a quitter."

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"Unacceptable, Ikari! This... indulgence of yours risks the entire plan." Flanked by Audio-Only Monoliths representing the rest of the council, Keel Lorenz's composure cracked.

"Plan?" Gendo allowed a smirk. "And what plan is that, Chairman?" He clasped his hands behind his back. "Perhaps you mean the Plan where the Angels start partaking of the Fruit of Knowledge."

"You distract your blasphemy with tales of other abominations?" One of the Monoliths demanded, the French representative by Gendo's ear.

"Not at all," Gendo adjusted his glasses. "Merely to illustrate a point. We knew the Angels were capable of great physical adaptation; it is only sensible that they would adapt mentally."

"Yes, your Second Angel theory. We do not find the evidence nearly as convincing, nor the conclusions as frightful," Lorenz evenly stated.

"Neglecting that, all the previous battles show an evolution in tactical thinking and organization. The last showing a strategic hand, the Angel specifically targeted one of our Pilots, our scarcest resource."

"The Dummy Plug program will remove that bottleneck."

Gendo laughed. "So with one hand you damn my experimentation, while with the other you beg me to increase the pace. Are your spies that poor? Do you actually not know what is planned for the Second Child?"

Keel's brows lowered until they touched his visor.

"We allowed you to continue researching the Ayanami line, but this latest experiment of Doctor Akagi's goes to far. You have adequate resources to pursue the Dummy Plug program without experimenting every time a Pilot is wounded."

Gendo pushed his glasses back up. "May I remind you that that was not a Pilot? It was a dripping sack of meat that fortunately for our purposes, but unfortunately for herself, still had its neurons firing."

Smirking, Ikari looked around the room eyeing each of the monoliths before ending on the Chairmen. "Tell me gentlemen, do I detect squeamishness?" He adjusted his gloves. "We all have dirty hands. What is experimenting on one little girl?"

Gendo shook his head. "No... I know you. You are not concerned about morals. Only Instrumentality. Which begs the question of why you care? Are the Children not Nerv's to do with as we please?"

"There are limits Ikari. You cannot hide what you are doing, not this time," the French representative hissed again.

"Hide? I intend to broadcast what I've done. A new campaign, highlighting the lengths Nerv will go to save its own. The Second will become an avatar of perseverance, will, and technological triumph. She will prove that no matter what the Angels do, we will win."

"Heroics do not suit you Ikari," Lorenz dryly remarked.

"No, but theatrics are a necessity."

"You speak of our competition, Azazel."

"Not just Azazel. Proliferation has spread. The United States Navy has killed one angel. The JSSDF's new plane has been instrumental in defeating two. The world can exist without Nerv."

"You doubt our power?" one of the monoliths demanded.

"I believe the death of the Third Angel proves that." Gendo smirked. "Our task is to continue to make Nerv and the Evangelions the best choice for eliminating the Angels."

"And so you experiment on the Children?" Lorenz asked.

"We have few experienced Pilots, few Pilots period. This makes it hard to justify experimenting on any one of them, it also makes the loss of one a major logistical issue. I aim to solve both problems."

Brushing some dust off of his uniform's coat, Gendo continued. "At the cost of one Pilot we will greatly expand our knowledge and learn much about how Evangelions and Children interact. The girl was already injured. What would you prefer? That I waste this chance?"

Lorenz glared at Ikari. "Fine. Perform your experiments. Ultimately they will serve the Plan. The rest of the meeting does not concern you. You are dismissed." He airily waved in dismissal and the holograms vanished, and the lights returned to the bare room.

Gendo stepped out of the teleconference suite and returned to his office. "Small minded fools," he muttered after the door had sealed shut

Fuyutsuki entered through a side door. "They have a point."

"Oh? Is that your take?"

"My take is that they are afraid." The old professor adjusted his cuffs. "They're afraid that all that they've worked for will be destroyed by some yahoo with a nuke."

"Or an Angel that's got too smart for its own good."

Fuyutsuki smirked and turned to look out at the Geo Front below. "They do have another point."

"Oh?"

"This work with the Second Child is-"

"Necessary." Gendo pulled off his gloves and looked at his scared hands. "Fate has given us an opportunity and I intent to exploit it."

"But the Professor..."

"I know the man's motivations." Gendo smirked. "He's doing it for his daughter, he's doing it for science. Let him." He stared at his bare right palm and made a fist. "His devotion will yield a most useful tool."

"Like Doctor Akagi?"

"Which Akagi?" Gendo gave a light chuckle. "Both have produced quite useful trios. Though one set is much more flexible than the other."

"And what do you expect from Insana's little project?"

"Well, that depends on if the good professor succeeds." Gendo smirked. "If he does, then we will have... options."

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"So glad you could make it," Misako remarked as Ritsuko strode into the Command Center.

"Well, I'd hardly miss this," Ritsuko said as she rubbed her eyes.

Misako looked at the silver and black spiraled goggles that hung from the blonde's neck. "You okay?"

"No, I've been spending every waking moment of the last nine days in the lab, working with that... man. Working on..." Ritsuko sighed and stripped the blue locator gloves off of her hands and stuffed them in her lab coat pocket.

"And how is she?"

Ritsuko looked up from the coffee machine in the back of the Command Center. "Doing great." She said with a false grin. "We're pretty sure her sight and hearing are restored and the major graft work is done." The scientist's tone warmed as she filled a mug.

"So Tino's plan worked?" Misako raised an eyebrow. "The guy's..."

"Don't tell me, I'm the one that's spent the last week working with him." Ritsuko took a sip then another. "The concept is sound enough. Evangelions have great regenerative capabilities and their flesh can be grown to order, and they are very close to human genetics."

"Yeah, Unit 02 is already operational."

"Well, it's been repaired, we'll know today if it's operational," Ritsuko grinned.

As they walked back to the workstations, Misako crossed her arms and glanced at the forward screen. "So, when will Asuka be fully healed?"

Ritsuko looked away. "We need more time. We have to make sure her body... what's left of it isn't rejecting the implants."

"So, she'll be like..." Misako looked around the crowded Command Center and pointed vaguely at herself.

Ritsuko gave a bitter laugh. "Oh no... I wish it were that simple, but... Insana found a way. The bastard always finds a way," she muttered, drinking deeply from her mug.

"So Asuka got his stubbornness and her mom's-" Misako held her tongue.

Ritsuko smiled as she pulled her goggles off from around her neck and placed them onto her workstation. "You can say it, Doctor Soryu was a very unpleasant woman."

Misako coughed. "We are going to be doing a test, so why take that stuff off?"

"Because I've had enough of wearing them," Ritsuko stated, looking at the giant display of the Evangelion squadron. Units 00 and 01 had already had their customary repairs. Both possessed the mix of battered and replacement parts that was expected from any ground system that saw heavy use. The main difference was the logo painted on Unit 01's shoulder pylons, on the outer side of each a large black playing-card spade was overlaid by a purple numeral four, signifying her status as an Ace with her "Child" number.

Unit 02, on the other hand, had enough fresh armor to make a clear delineation between the original and the repaired material. The shoulder pylons, shoulders, plug armor, neck and the whole upper half of the back were new, contrasting with the slightly worn and faded armor that covered the rest of the Evangelion. If not for the identical color scheme it would look like two different Evangelion cobbled into one.

"Hey, Toji you ready?"

An inset display of the cockpit cam of the plug came up. "Yeah, I guess so."

"What's wrong?"

Toji shifted his shoulders. "Well, the plug's all different."

"The old one was destroyed."

"Yeah, yeah," Toji leaned up and twisted around. Feeling on the back of the seat, he found the raised section that had been poking his back. He pressed it and there was a slight click as it receded and fell back.

Blinking at the cavity, Toji found some LCL-proofed access plugs; they looked similar to the other cables and plugs that had been added to the sides of the cockpit and its controls. "What's with all these wires and stuff?" he asked as he sat back down.

"That's is a diagnostic version of the plug, Warrant Officer." Ritsuko smoothly lied. "It's used for the Dummy Plug system. Don't worry, you can pilot it normally."

Toji nodded.

Ritsuko's image appeared on his displays. "Proceed to activation you three."

Toji nodded and leaned back. Closing his eyes, he let his mind drift. There was a tingling in his limbs and a sharp vibration and... synchronization.

"43 percent. Good work, Toji." Ritsuko allowed.

Misako's smiling face appeared. "Keep it up Rookie. We're shipping you to the armory. Get a normal load-out, it's time you experienced a combat drop."

"Fun," Toji sighed at the wolfishly grinning woman, and he leaned back as the Evangelions were moved from their storage cages to the white-tilled, cavernous room that served as their weapons and ammunition locker.

"You seem distracted?" Shinju asked as Unit 01 picked up one of the 14 inch bore revolvers. The Evangelion thumbed the top-break and lowered the barrel and cylinder with its left hand.

"Well, I kind of feel like a replacement." Toji sighed and had Unit 02 pick up a Mark 9 gun BB-62 "Big J". Sighing he went thought the routine of inspecting that the bores were empty and then adding in two green-tipped cartridges. "I don't even have my own Azazel officer yet, or Evangelion."

"You are a replacement," Rei stated, strapping her progressive combat spade on.

"Thanks..." Toji drawled.

"Asuka can't pilot. Until she can again, you are her replacement." Shinju snapped her revolver closed and holstered it.

"That's not confidence building," Toji, said checking that his own revolver was strapped down.

"We do what we must because we can." Shinju assured and gave her kit a final check. "Warrant Ayanami S. ready," Shinju radioed to the Command Center.

"Warrant Ayanami R. is also ready," Rei echoed.

Gritting his teeth, Toji took some time to sling his rifle and check his equipment. "Warrant Suzuhara ready," he said after half a minute's delay.

"Shinju," Misako ordered.

Unit 01 stepped over and checked the various holsters and bandoleers. "Good job," Shinju cheered.

"Right, get back to your harnesses," Misako ordered.

Toji sighed happily as he placed Unit02's shoulder pylons back into the crawler's superstructure.

"Asuka didn't like manual loading either," Shinju teased as the crawlers engaged their drives and moved the Evas down a tunnel towards the airport.

"What? You like crawling under a cargo plane and trying to catch some support beams you can hardly see?" Toji shook his head and turned back to watch as the frame his Evangelion was tied to pitched forward to the horizontal and then rose up.

Armored doors peeled away revealing a monstrous aircraft that straddled the opening. The open cargo bay waited above and the Evangelion accented to meet it. Toji concentrated on the reverse views and status screens as the load transferred. After several thumps the plane's landing gears compressed as it took up the weight of the Unit.

Toji exhaled managing to cough up a small bubble of air. "Man that sucks."

"Do you not like Piloting?" Shinju asked as their YC-59's taxied to the runway.

"What?" Toji blinked. "No, I like it fine... I guess. Driving a giant robot is pretty cool, and... it's important right? It's just, I don't like the transfer stuff, I always feel something's going to let go and I'll fall back down the shaft."

"It's not that," Shinju's voice had a gentle edge. "What's wrong? If you don't think you should be here..."

"No! I mean I don't know what a battle, a real battle will be like, but.. well... it feels like I'm just a chair warmer."

"Hopefully."

Toji winced. "Yeah... we want Asuka better. That way she'll get Big Red back."

"Don't worry, Dr... Akagi and Dr. Insana are doing their best," Shinju said, with a brief hesitation.

Toji's question at Shinju's hesitation was cut off by his plane's acceleration and stomach-torqueing takeoff. Pressed back, Toji fought the pressure and soon found himself at a slightly more sedate climb.

He exhaled. "Okay... so, can we go over today's war game again?"

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Grinning, Professor Insana straightened his white coat and adjusted his blue latex gloves. "Oh Director! I think we've got it!" He gleefully stated in passable if oddly emphasized Japanese. Full of nervous energy he bounded over to Ritsuko. He pulled up his goggles and addressed Ritsuko's companion. "And it's nice to meet you, it's always a pleasure to see the good Director's creations." He then laughed; it was a rolling, wild titter.

After giving Ritsuko a disbelieving glance, Misako turned to the professor. "So your daughter's doing... well?"

"Oh she'll be better than before! My Science will make her strong, stronger!"

"Tino, dial it down," Ritsuko glared as she pulled her own goggles off.

"Oh fine," the giddy scientist deflated slightly.

Ritsuko rubbed her eyes. "I still think there would have been a simpler way."

"No, no, no." Insana shook his head. "The Commander was clear. He preferred my method to Salvage. You wound me Doctor; as if I would hurt my own flesh and blood." Insana shook his fist.

Ritsuko glared.

"Unlike the injuries you had to deal with, my patient was not living on borrowed time." Insana pulled his goggles back on. "Once we stabilized her, my daughter could have lived a long, long life." Insana said as he led the two woman from the office space and into the laboratory proper.

"Sure, alive as a potato," Misako muttered.

"I said a long life, not a good life, and the less we talk about what happened around her waist the better, but Science will save her. Science has saved her!" Insana assured.

As they crossed the echoing workspace they went past a gleaming machine shop, a riotous collection of electrical equipment, a biology lab with several occupied jars, a pharmacy, a collection of statuary molds and forms, and even a small break room that had been wedged between some milling machines and other equipment.

Misako leaned in and hissed into Ritsuko's ear. "You did keep an eye on him?"

"Yes, and he's not so bad. He's been working himself to death to save her," Ritsuko whispered back.

Insana shook his head. "The next generation of plug suits should really have miniature pumps with one-way valves, and don't get me started on better fail-safes for the suit constriction. Maybe then caustic chemicals won't pool. Ah there's my girl."

Misako stopped. The physical changes startled her, but they were not the most shocking...

Sitting in a reclining examination chair was the Second Child. At first Misako thought she was wearing a hybrid of her plug suit and her red and yellow gown, but then the details became apparent.

Her arms were encased in a vibrant yellow plating with an articulated joint at her elbows. Grey hands were folded in her lap. Yellow, each finger was cunningly armored to enable full flexibility.

Her legs had a similar encasement, this time in a russet red and terminating in armored boots with a slight wedge heel. Her limbs attached in a slim armored frame with somewhat angular, and finned, shoulders but perfectly contoured chest. Also in a departure from the somewhat utilitarian design, the curve of her bosom was filled out by a pair of golden teardrops.

The flexing plates that made up her chassis were polished to a glossy shine. A translucent pointed skirt wrapped around her waist, and unlike the rest of her "garments", it was clearly mere clothing.

A softly glowing orange oval was set in a white choker-like collar that went around her neck, above which lay her only visible skin. Her eyes were closed. Her lips were almost waxen and too red. Her face was too stiff, too perfect, and too shiny. In place of ears two long crimson blades pointed up and back. The twin devices looked like an oversized interface headset.

She bore her now customary updo hairstyle. However, she had no bangs and the stacked layers that formed the bun were made out of a glossy crimson armor. Instead of braided hair a grey braided cable came out of the top of her bun.

While this contributed to Misako's shock, the Second Child's appearance was not what disturbed her the most. The vast, vast array of cables and tubes that went into the girl had that honor.

The braided cable that came out of her head was plugged into a Magi terminal. Two tubes of LCL went to her mouth and nose. One with incoming amber fluid, the other with outgoing. A wider tube socketed into a hatch above her stomach, and two smaller tubes snaked out of the otherwise smooth surface of her crotch and buttocks.

Finally sticking out of her back was the handle and cable to a human-sized version of an Evangelion power cable.

Turning to Ritsuko, Misako narrowed her eyes.

Ritsuko frowned. "You know what happened. She raised her arms to protect her face, and a lot of the acid poured into her suit and pooled. We're lucky it happened in LCL. That diluted the acid and kept fumes from forming and destroying her lungs. Also her being upright kept the acid sloshing around her legs instead of her torso and head."

Misako turned to the Second Child. "Yeah, lucky."

"You knew we were grafting Evangelion parts into her."

"Yes, flesh! Not..."

"Oh no." Insana shook his head and bounded to the terminal. "You can't just grow Evangelion flesh. Don't you know anything about Science? It's wild; it grows; it has to be contained!" The professor started pacing. "And once you start putting in containment systems, well you have to power them, and have computers control the power. You need more systems, more Science. Oh, and there's the drugs. Can't forget the drugs. As you know careful regulation, constant vigilance!"

"Power." Misako sighed. "She's got a battery?" she asked watching the slight rise and fall of the girl's chest.

"Her requirements are minimal, so she can last a few days between charging," Ritsuko said distantly.

"Daily charging is recommended. Don't wear down her cells!" Insana burbled out as he patted an armored shoulder. "It's vital that we follow little Nigokiko's maintenance schedule!"

Ritsuko groaned. "Do you hate speaking in Japanese that much?"

"What, did I say it wrong? Nigokiko is child of Nigoki, an affectionate diminutive, and Nigoki itself is in turn essentially second machine." Insana smiled at his creation. "Besides, I do have some right to name her."

Misako narrowed her eyes. "She's Asuka Soryu, not some Evangelion part."

"It's not your place to lecture me, is it?" Insana grinned. "She is the most critical part! And now she's an even better!" He rubbed his hands together, and then straightened his gloves. "Director you were onto something using enhanced clones to Pilot, but you didn't reach far enough!"

"She hasn't even been in a plug yet," Ritsuko sighed.

"Bah, we've been running her brain prosthesis to Unit 02 via the Magi. Besides over half of her flesh is from her greater self! We built her binding armor from the spares. She's as close as possible." Insana looked down at his creation. "Or at least as close as you'd let me," he grumbled shaking his shoulders and head.

Misako blinked. "Oh-kay. Ritsuko? I retract all commentary about you being a mad scientist. However, I've also got to retract all my commentary about you being a genius."

"He's the one that designed Eva's cybernetic systems and knows best how to integrate humans with Eva tech." Ritsuko eyed the Second Child. "Besides he's just being dramatic."

Insana nodded happily. "One semester-"

"Yes, intro to theater, we know." Ritsuko shook her head. "And you wonder why Beria claims our field lacks rigor."

"Are you two going go into a full science-off or can we wake her up? Misako sighed.

"I'm Sciencier!" Insana declared.

Misako glared.

"She's pretty uppity for an abomination. You know there's a medication for the clone blues."

"She's not an abomination," Ritsuko glared.

"Oh? But my daughter is?" Insana looked to Misako. "She's just as inhuman as you are."

Ritsuko held up her hand. "Enough, let's wake her up."

"Yes, begin the experiment!"

Ritsuko rolled her eyes as she lifted up the Second Child's skirt and unplugged the waste tubes. She then flicked the covers over, concealing the two ports. The stomach tube was popped off and placed on an armrest rack next to the other two tubes.

Disturbed but curious, Misako looked over. The three hoses were clearly marked and had caps that popped over the end to seal them. "They're different sizes."

"One would hope so!" Insana tittered as he used his gloves to interact with the magi terminal. "Ready to purge lungs."

"Right." Ritsuko unclipped the nosepiece to the LCL exchanger and turned the supply off.

"Let's see if she can breath air." Insana pressed a button and the still form shuddered to life as her chest heaved with a mechanical coughing and retching. As she inhaled through her nostrils LCL continued to pour out of the mouth tube. As her lungs emptied, the LCL in the tubing started to become frothy and trailed off when air filled her lungs. The coughing subsided and the Second Child returned to her peaceful state.

Insana looked over his display. "Ah, so she can. That makes things simpler."

Removing the mouthpiece, Ritsuko sighed. "Remove the power?" she asked, using a towel to clean up the spilled LCL.

"Yes, her battery's full."

Ritsuko reached around and lifted the handle to the power connector. There was a click and she drew it out of its slot and placed the charging cable on the rack next to the arm rest.

"Cutting her off of wired telemetry... now." Insana then yanked the braided cable out of his terminal. Looking his holographic display, he nodded. "And she's independently operating!" He cheered raising his gloved fist.

Misako eyed the "hair" bun. "If you're unplugged how do you know that? Why'd you even do that to her head?"

"Her hair follicles were a lost cause. And a Magi-derived brain prosthesis is much more useful than a wig. Though we had to make sure it was only a wired connection. Wireless is as vulnerable as cryptography. That's why there's only limited transmission capability via her upgraded headset."

"The ear blades?"

Insana's expression softened.. "Yes, her ears were very damaged. Her whole face was almost a write-off. So she'd have been a deaf, blind, and ugly potato." He patted her shoulder. "But Science has solved that!"

He ran a hand over the contours of her hair bun. "But now she's running! All by herself. That just leaves the Signal Termination Plug." Insana gently pushed the Second Child's unresisting shoulders forward. Sticking out of a shaft in her spine, exactly where the plug inserted in an Evangelion, was a cross-bared capsule. Insana twisted and removed the plug.

"So, that's what's been keeping her asleep, just like when we put one in an Evangelion?" Misako asked.

"Oh you're so wrong!" Insana placed the plug on a slot next to the other connectors. "The STP in an Evangelion blocks out nerve impulses. This is simply a special version of her dosage meter."

"We had to make sure she stayed asleep during the process," Ritsuko explained as she picked up a red capsule. "Her pharmacological needs are even more exotic than yours. This is really the best way to keep her on top of things." She then inserted the plug and once it was locked in place slid the Second Child's back armor over the hatch. There was a slight shiver through the red chassis.

"Oh, the suspense is too much. How soon do you think?" Insana asked, before shaking his hands in delight.

The Second Child's eyelids slowly pulled back, revealing solid orange eyes. Banded at the edge in black, each eye had four pupils: a large central one and three smaller ones equally spaced around it

"The sleeper has awakened!" Insana cried.

The indicator on the girl's neck shifted from orange to translucent emerald green. A lazy smile formed on wax-red lips. " Ich bin nicht eine Puppe, Mamma," she muttered lazily. Her eyes widened slightly and she looked around. "Hey... did we win?" she happily drawled.

Misako leaned in. "How much do you remember?"

The orange eyed girl blinked. "Well... that the attack broke into my plug, and Princess screamed. 'I'm going to kill you and _kill_ you and **kill** you!' " She smiled again.

"Drugs are working," Insana noted.

"Guess I got hurt," the Second Child sighed and leaned back. "Ice Queen, why's my plugsuit got a skirt? Wait, how did I end up with cleavage?" She then ran a hand over her engraved chest plate. "Wait... this isn't..."

Blinking she lifted up her hand. She flexed some of the fingers and then felt it with her other limb. She shivered. She could feel it. She could feel the material as if it were her own...

She ran a hand down her torso, feeling the little hatches and plates. All six of her pupils widened when her hand crossed her featureless crotch. However, the worst came when she got to her feet. She tried wriggling her toes, she tried feeling around the footwear, but with dread she realized that she no longer had any toes and that her boot was her actual foot. She could flex her feet but the articulation was different, more hinged and straight.

Her horror grew when she looked around and saw her father's grinning face. "You! What did you do to me!" She cried; the green oval at her neck momentarily flashing yellow.

"I saved you!" Insana proudly announced. "But don't worry, I'll show you, dear daughter," he said wheeling a full length mirror in front of her.

Her mouth closed and she began to take measured breaths. Moving her arms and legs she could tell; she could feel that this was not a costume. Though even worse was her head. Hostile alien eyes stared back at her, antennae-like blades rose from where her ears should be, and instead of hair a carefully sculpted solid resin simulation, weighed down her head. "I... I..."

"Darling daughter, you're the most vital part of Unit 02; you're Nigokiko the sapiency driver to your greater self. Tragedy has been turned into opportunity; you'll synchronize to perfection! " Insana declared.

The former redhead shrieked, causing the indicator at her neck to turn yellow and flash red.

Hoping that the imprint still held, Ritsuko stepped back.

The indicator returned to yellow and slowly eased back to green. "You mutilated me, you stupid sack of science," she hissed with some resignation.

"I saved you! It was this or losing your soul." Insana countered.

The pilot blinked and turned back to Ritsuko and Misako. "Can someone not crazy explain what the hell's going on?"

Misako exhaled through her teeth. "The Angel wounded you really bad. These two mads decided the best way to heal you involved grafting Evangelion parts into you."

The technical redhead's eyes widened. "So... I am part robot then."

"Bah, you're a cyborg," Insana waved his hand. "Nigokiko, you've been reborn to do more than merely pilot. You will truly synchronize with your greater self."

"Nigokiko? That's a joke right?" the cyborg leveled her gaze at her father. "Why?" she asked, looking back she saw a thick cable running from a Magi terminal and right to her head. She shuddered.

"To save you of course! Insana exclaimed.

"Technically you have a lot of similarity with your Evangelion." Ritsuko saw the girl slowly blink then look down at her armored body. "The acid took your hands, feet, much of your limbs. You would have been deaf and blind too."

"Oh, so this is what it takes for you to care about me?"

Insana nodded. "You were very badly hurt."

"Shall we do a sync test?" Insana shook with nervous energy.

Ritsuko looked over the panicked girl. "Maybe. I think showing her something positive now would help."

"I'd better still be able to Pilot." The redhead crossed her arms and glared. "I mean... look what you did to me."

The bottle blonde then went to the phone next to the terminal and called the Command Center.

"Excellent!" Insana cried as he entered a few commands into the Magi terminal.

"Hey, what's going on?" the redhead cried as she felt a tingling in her head, but above where her skull should have ended.

"Simply activating your brain prosthesis." Insana said.

"What?" the cybernetic girl shrieked. She felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under her and she was in free-fall.

"A system that helps us regulate your enhancements." Ritsuko put down the phone.

A wave of sensation hit the redhead and she gasped, arching her back. It was like having a layer of gauze pulled off of her eyes and plugs pulled out of her ears. Images became clearer and she found her eyes following multiple people, simultaneously. A Heads Up Display became overlaid as well.

On the bottom were a few green icons, notably one in the shape of a battery, but there was also a cursor she found that could lazily control. Not only could she hear more but on the sides of her HUD were notices that seemed to indicate she had found the Magi wireless network, was plugged into the Magi mainline, and was receiving various radio transmissions.

"Are you ready?" Ritsuko turned to the shocked redhead and pulled on her own goggles. As the scientist made a few arcane motions with her hands, the blast shield behind her retracted, revealing...

Instantly, the Pilot was out of the chair. She wobbled on her first step, giving Insana enough time to unplug her from the Magi and for Misako to steady her. Rapidly gaining her footing, she walked to the thick glass and placed her hand as she longingly looked at her... her Evangelion. Unit 02 sat alone in the pristine white-walled test cell.

"You fixed it too!" the cyborg cried as she ran to an access door.

"Daughter, the skirt, LCL will stain it!" Insana cried.

The Pilot unhooked the skirt and dropped it to the floor and opened the door.

"Wow, she's eager," Misako said, stepping through the door. "You sure she's not a danger? I mean... look at what you did." She said to Ritsuko who was also following the Pilot down the catwalk.

"She's not crazy; that's.. a good sign."

"Huh," Misako shook her head. "I hope Rei and Shinju get here in time."

"Such an eager girl!" Insana proudly cackled from the control station.

The plug was extended and the hatch was already open. Climbing in the Pilot found the cockpit seat slightly changed. Slipping into the seat she felt the new cables and tubes extend and plug into her.

Misako came to the hatch. "Are you sure you're ready right now? We can take this slow."

"Slow?" The Second Child turned to the Captain. "Those two mutilated my body. It better have some benefit."

Misako frowned. "They were trying to help. You were crippled. Ritsuko cares for you, and I know your father loves you. He did all this for you."

The redhead looked down. "Sure he does, now that I'm one of his experiments. I want to do this. Piloting's what I'm supposed to do."

Misako nodded. "Good luck." She said before closing the hatch.

The plug descended into the Evangelion and locked in place. LCL flooded the plug and she leaned back. She felt connected, she felt open.

"Charging LCL. Second Contact is made. The connection of the A10-nerve is operational," Ritsuko said via a speaker in the plug.

The amber fluid suddenly turned clear. The inner surface of the Plug went though its expected change, first a rainbow ran up the length of the cylinder, then she was immersed in darkness as the surface went black and lightning-like white lines ran up the length of the tube. The interior then turned a glossy ruby, and finally the veiwscreens the plug, everything vanished totally from her vision. Her intrinsic AT field rushed out and meshed over the Evangelion's. She was synchronized.

She was.

Evangelion Unit 02 opened her eyes and looked around the test chamber. She lifted her arms up and flexed them slightly. Her shoulders ached a bit where the pylons were held to the wall support.

"How are you feeling?" Misako asked, a display of her popping up on Unit 02's HUD.

"Good," the Evangelion replied.

"Synchronization Ratio..." Ritsuko gasped. "96.7% No way!"

"I told you not to doubt my girl!" Insana tittered joyously. "And she'd be even better if you'd have let me give her the right number of eyes!" He picked up the microphone. "You're doing great, Dear. Show them who's the best!"

"You still feeling okay?" Misako repeated.

Unit 02 smirked internally. "Yes, can we try some training?"

"Sorry, we've got other tests, but your... father's right, you're doing great." Ritsuko said, her voice a bit shaken.

"Oh." The Evangelion lowered her head.

"Plug eject," Ritsuko stated.

Synchronization severed, the Evangelion felt her spirit squeeze down. After a moment, she realized she had gone to her lesser body. She opened her eyes, not just a single pair, and watched the LCL slowly drain away. After evacuating her lungs she leaned back in the cockpit and waited.

The hatch opened, and Ritsuko poked her head in. "You can get out now."

"Father's right," the Second ran a hand along the inner wall of the tube.

"Yes, you sync'd very well. I don't think Shinju can beat this."

"Not that. Father's right about what he did to me." The cyborg gave a caustic smile and patted the plug. "I am a part of my Evangelion. It is a part of me. I am Nigokiko."

Ritsuko paled. She then pulled away from the hatch. "Insana you bastard, what did you do!"

Still smiling, Nigokiko nodded and disconnected from her plug. Crossing the catwalk she rinsed off in a shower alcove, rubbed herself dry, and entered the control room with a cocky smirk and haughty expression. The argument between the three adults stopped.

"So who's the best Evangelion?" Nigokiko's smile died when the argument resumed.

Insana smirked.

"You knew synchronization right after regaining consciousness would imprint her! And you didn't tell me?" Ritsuko shouted.

"It was inevitable! What did you think a synchronization of near unity would do?"

"Your daughter thinks she's an Evangelion." Misako said.

The professor shrugged. "Well she is, mostly."

Nigokiko leaned back on the doorframe. "This isn't my fault?"

Ritsuko turned to the cyborg. "What happened to Asuka?"

Six pupils narrowed. "What about her?"

"You know who she is."

Nigokiko palmed her face. "Yes... Asuka Soryu. Second Child. Evangelion pilot with two, or is it three, kills. Daughter of Doctor Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu and a science-obsessed lunatic of a father, who after she was injured on her third sortie decided to turn her into a mini Unit 02."

Ritsuko kept her expression neutral. "Well, that's somewhat common knowledge," she said neutrally.

"Would you like to know the last time I saw my Mother? She was very sick and she killed herself but not before she hung a little doll that she thought was me. She wanted us to go together." The cyborg's eyes flashed. "I'm not nuts. I know I'm Asuka. I'm still me... but I'm not."

Looking at Insana, she set her jaw. "Because of you, I'm also my Eva. You turned me into this." She pulled at her braid. "I don't feel comfortable saying I'm Asuka." She waved a hand over her body. "Asuka's not this. I might as well call myself Nigokiko. That's what you turned me into."

Grinning, Insana nodded. "That's a healthy thing to say."

"No it isn't!" Ritsuko held her forehead.

"How did you expect me to react?" Nigokiko narrowed her eyes. "Did you expect me to be happy? To smile and accept this? You should be thankful that I'm only this angry."

"I think it's a lovely name," Shinju softly said as she stepped in from around the corner. Standing next to her, Rei stayed silent.

Nigokiko smirked. "Princess. When did you get here?" She eyed the little girl's choker; two polished black charms had been added to the silver and gold adornment.

"Doctor. Akagi called us about the test. You were extremely adequate!" Shinju cheered. "Your father must love you very much; he did everything he could to save you."

Nigokiko laughed. "And what do you think of what they did to me?" She picked up her skirt, hooked it onto her chassis, and flared it out.

Shinju stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the cyborg and rested her head on a surprisingly pliable chest. "Cute. Like a feminine Eva."

Nigokiko returned the embrace. "Well.. yeah."

"Isn't this a bit melodramatic?" Ritsuko asked.

Misako rolled her eyes. "She was burned halfway by acid. Had god-knows-what grafted onto her so you could turn her into a mini-Evangelion, and then you shove her into a sync test when she first wakes up. What did you think?"

"I knew. Am I the only one that thought things through?" Insana pouted. "This is why Science gets a bad reputation. So many people don't stop to think! You have to think about what you're doing."

The captain glared at Ritsuko. "You're supposed to be the sane one here. Shit, was I lucky when I woke up in a new body? Are you the reason Shinju's so girly?"

"Misako!"

Misako rolled her eyes. "We can tell Asuka, or should the Eva-girl not know about the Ayanamis?"

"Nigokiko," the cyborg interjected.

"Sure, there's no reason to bother keeping secrets," Ritsuko said.

"Wait, what are you?" Nigokiko blinked. She then noticed the fourth was still hugging her and ended the embrace.

"We're clones As- err... Kiko-chan."

"Oh, that's a good name." Shinju nodded

"It is short," Rei added.

Nigokiko looked between the sisters. "Gott. You are clones. Is that why you're so good, Princess? You're modified?"

"They're about as human as you," Ritsuko nodded.

"That's meaningless," Insana sneered. "They can pass as human."

"Not exactly what I was going for, and... wait we're only as human as her?" Misako raised an eyebrow and looked down at herself. "What the hell are we then?"

"Cheating test tube babies." Nigokiko smirked.

"She still sounds like Asuka," Misako muttered.

The cyborg turned to the blonde. "And how come they look human while I've got plastic hair and airplane wings for ears?"

"I wanted to give you fins too."

Nigokiko looked at her shoulders. "Father... I have fins."

"Not those! Big ones! Like on the old cars, and a prehensile tail, that would have doubled as another neural link."

Nigokiko sighed.

"As you said, test tube babies." Ritsuko shrugged. "You were born human, they were made in a lab."

"Yes, huge difference," Nigokiko deadpanned.

"That's no way to feel, dear Nigokiko. You're far superior to Director's blended chimeras. You've gone beyond merely piloting your Evangelion. You are a part of Nigoki, the most important part. The irreplaceable part."

The cyborg frowned. "Yeah, maybe Kiko's not a bad name to go by."

"You could stay Asuka." Ritsuko offered.

Nigokiko laughed.

Misako poked herself in the arm. "Seriously Rits. What's up with these bodies? If we're only as human as Kiko over there..."

Ritsuko shook her head. " 'Kiko' has a human nervous system, torso, and central organs. Her Evangelion parts fill in the gaps, and we added cybernetic systems to integrate it all together."

"And we are?" Misako asked.

"Hybrids. A complete mix of Evangelion and human from the ground up. Takes longer to make and doesn't sync as well, but doesn't need as much regulation."

"So, we're part Eva too?"

Ritsuko smirked. "What did you think 'clones altered to ensure piloting' meant? She's based off Unit 02. You three use Unit 01 as a base," she said, not technically lying.

"So, you knew about Angels before the Second Impact?" Kiko asked.

Ritsuko smiled. "Clever girl. There wasn't proof, so it was a limited program. That's why Misako's not too good at being a Pilot. We fixed that in the later versions."

"Thanks," Misako gave a false grin.

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Owen looked at the two pilots and gave a light snort. "The most important thing to remember: you cannot take on an Angel." He looked around the Republic Aviation conference room. "You've got this big gun and you'll be tempted to think you can take on the world; you can't."

"But you took two Angels." USAF Captain Robert Ulam stated.

Owen shook his head. "No, I provided fire support. The only reason my shots did any damage was because the Evangelions were on the ground fighting the damn thing."

"But... what if we don't have Evas?" Captain Stanislaw Serber asked.

"You want to hear something funny?" Wing Commander Owen Lysaght smirked. "You're dead. Hate to break it to ya."

"What if a device pierces the AT field before we engage?"

"Well... timing goes wrong and you're too close: you're dead. Charge goes low and the Angel is still kicking: you're dead. Charge too high; the Angel's already dead. There's no point in it mate."

"In Operation Chariot you managed to pin the Angel, without piercing the AT field." Ulam stated.

Owen nodded. "Yeah, kinetic energy is kinetic energy. The Angel's AT field protected it, but it absorbed all the momentum and that slowed it down."

"So you can engage an Angel without piercing the field."

Owen shrugged. "To what end? That worked because there were boots on the ground that could hit the Angel."

Serber frowned. "So, what can we do?"

"Look smart in your uniforms and big white elephants as you circle around the Yank capital, and hope to damn hell that no Angel decides to show up."

Standing in the back of the room, Hiram glared.

"The Dreadhog can destroy servitor angels though." Serber said.

"Yeah, if the Angel spews out a lot of minions you can mow them down. Which reduces the number of nukes, but don't get cocky. You're going to want air support."

"Yes, when the spider bombs flew up to you."

Ulam looked back at the chief engineer. "Maybe you should add machine gun turrets."

"It'd be better if the first production orders went to the JSSDF," Owen sighed.

"The third prosecution YA-11 will be stationed at Misawa," Serber stated with some embarrassment.

"That'll be the day." Owen shook his head. "And work on your gunnery. Depending on the Angel they've got some nasty ranged weapons. Don't get any closer than you have to."

"But the gun's pretty much fixed on the nose," Ulam said.

"There's that," Owen grinned. "This is why you'll have to come in high and know when to pull off. Especially since the girl turns like a sow. You have raw power and range."

"Use it as a standoff weapon, then?"

Owen nodded. "Right, and remember, you're not there to kill the Angel. You're there to help the people that can kill it."

"And use it as an emergency communications center?" Ulam asked.

"Right. Now if you get an Evangelion assigned to you then you'll be useful, but that will require a lot of coordination. You'll be shooting a lot closer to the ground troops than you're used to."

Hiram made a point to look at his watch. "Okay, they should have the plane ready for us."

"Good," Owen shook his head. "I'm no good at this classroom stuff. It'll be much easier to explain in the cockpit."

"Will the Evangelions be sortied too?" Ulam asked.

"Not today."

"We'll try to get you in on the next training mission," Hiram assured.

"Yeah, that'll help if the Yanks ever get their own Pilot," Owen groused.

"The US is handing over one of their Evas," Serber reminded as he flipped through his notes..

"And taking their sweet time too, I can see holding onto critical equipment, but without a Pilot, it's just a giant money pit."

"Yes, and their forfeiting of an Evangelion has nothing to do with stationing us state-side," Serber sighed.

"Right, you two go on to the locker room, we'll have to fit some G-suits for you," Hiram smiled.

"Oh, you want some real maneuvers today?" Owen grinned.

"Really? That sow?" Serber asked, picking up his notes.

"It's got it where it counts," Hiram assured. His grin held until the two pilots left the room. Then stern-faced he turned to his own pilot.

"Yeah?" Owen eyed the engineer.

Hiram sighed. "I suppose Republic could have been firmer on the sale."

"But we weren't. You know time's important, and you know we need at least four planes to maintain total coverage. Birds break down, and you can't patrol and train. Then there's battle losses."

Hiram laughed. "Boy, we're an American arms company. The Feds are the ones that decide who we can sell to, and they wanted to be first in line."

"The airframes are Ukrainian and the reactors are half Japanese as is one of the weapons systems. It's also built to launch Russian nuclear devices."

"Yes, yes. And our test Pilot is a mouthy sun-fried Bushman that never really left Darwin." Hiram shook his head. "The point is that we have to make the Beltway boys happy, and that requires a lot of lobbying and ass-kissing. Why do you think we've hung onto Tokita?"

"That little NHIS yes-man?" Owen rolled his eyes. "Is he the one that gave away the first two planes?"

"Yes, he's the one that sold them, which is where your paycheck comes from."

"I'd rather be a mercenary. Least that's more honest."

Hiram eyed the lanky man. "And Shiro's the one that got them to station the third bird at Misawa."

"Huh, so we're supposed to be happy with that?"

Hiram ran a hand over his bald head. "Welcome to the wonderful world of procurement."

"Well, I really hope those boys don't have to fight an Angel."

"Too aggressive?"

Owen shrugged. "Not as bad as those goons the JSDF sent over. Those guys were way too eager. Don't they know that an Angel took out an Evangelion? Those bots are a lot harder to kill than an up-gunned transport."

"You just want to keep your job," Hiram smirked.

"Sure there's that, but you built a plane that can annoy an angel Booksmarts. That's really amazing, but an annoyed angel can still kill you. Those guns are big, but not big enough."

Hiram's eyes twinkled. "There are plans on upgrading the guns."

"Oh? Austin Advanced Technology's got something in the works? How can they beat the penetration problem?"

"They've been tinkering with the data from Operation Chariot. They think they can deform the field and cause it to hurt the angel inside without breaking it. Think of a high explosive squash head."

Owen blinked. "Can an AT field even cause spalling damage? I mean HESH works by turning the armor itself into shrapnel by blowing out the backside, can you even do that with a field?"

"That's just a metaphor, Son. The actual mechanism is the opposite. A squash head spreads out before detonation to maximize transmission of the shockwave. The Austin boys have a plan that minimizes the contact area, concentrating the energy and causing local deformations. Their theory is that enough concentrated fire can cause a cumulative displacement."

"So... it stabs the Angel with its own AT field? Do AT fields even work that way?"

Hiram grinned. "Only one way to find out?"

"The scientific method?"

"Bah, science is all well and good, but you can't beat empirical testing."

"Empirical being?" Owen asked with a smirk.

"Find an Angel and shoot the dang thing." Hiram chuckled.

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Kiko yawned. She then blinked.

Insana chuckled. "Yes Daughter, you can do that. You're still mostly organic."

Looking at her greater self, Kiko tapped on the console she leaned on. "Well... can't I go home yet?"

"Your tests are pretty good, and you're stable enough," Insana allowed as he adjusted his goggles.

"Oh no! You're not going to make me the bad guy!" Ritsuko yelled.

Kiko tilted her head, causing her Magi cable to scrape across the console.

"You know perfectly well she has to stay here for continued observation." Ritsuko crossed her arms over her chest.

"Like the Pilot compound is a less secure facility." Insana snorted. "I can watch her just as well over there."

"No," Ritsuko hissed. "You're not playing the good guy here. You know perfectly well this is a more secure facility and that there's more equipment here in case something goes wrong."

"Are you saying I'm stuck here?" Kiko tapped an armored finger in annoyance. She yawned again. "I just wanna go home."

Insana patted her shoulder. "I know, but Akagi is right, you should stay here."

Kiko frowned. She then shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "What's wrong? I just... I just got up?"

Ritsuko turned to Insana and pulled her goggles on.

"It's okay," Insana assured. "All those tests and synchronizing really wore you out."

Kikko looked down. "It's barely past noon," she whispered.

"You'll get your strength back. I promise you that! Science will make you strong! But first a little nap."

After laughing Kiko's eyes widened in horror and she set her jaw. "You have a bed for me down here? Since I can't leave the lab.."

Insana tittered and led Kiko down into the depths of the laboratory.

"So, what's this thing? Am I really that high maintenance?" Kiko waved at a large grey and white object. It was shaped like a tanning bed, or a coffin. There was hinged glass door on top. The interior was half filled by shiny plastic-coated padding and cushions, with a few strange arms and access panels and plugs.

At bed height, the object was mounted on a frame that contained of several tanks, computer stations, coiled and curved tubing and other humming machinery. Some cables ran from the large device to conduits that were bolted to the floor.

Ritsuko had beaten them to the object and made sure that its display screen was locked. It would be bad for the Second to see the "program".

"I need all this stuff?" Kiko circled the tube. "You're pretty bad at this aren't you, Father?"

Insana chuckled. "Not really, no. You were designed so you could eat, defecate, and sleep normally. Yes you'd need to replace your Pharma-Plug when it gets low, or jack into a charger when your batteries go down."

"So, I'd sleep with a wire stuck in my back. Fun." Kiko deadpanned.

"Asuka, your battery should last several days, and it recharges when you're Piloting," Ritsuko assured.

Kiko glared.

"Are you going to be this way every time I use your real name?" Ritsuko looked to the "gem" embedded on Kiko's throat, but it stayed green.

"I think it's because you called synchronizing with her greater self mere 'piloting'."

Kiko sighed. "Look that's pretty private."

"I suppose you want to hold onto whatever privacy you can," Ritsuko allowed.

"I'm naked save for a translucent skirt." Kiko shook her head. "And why don't I have a bed? If I can sleep normally."

"We want to make sure you're okay on your first few days. This is a very delicate time for you," Ritsuko previcated.

Kiko yawned. "Were your clones this buggy?"

"It did take a lot of testing before we could wake them up." Ritsuko smiled. "There's a room in Terminal Dogma called the Reiquarium."

The redhead stared. "Right."

"Don't worry about that. You'll like the tube; it's really very comfortable," Insana added.

"You tried it out, didn't you?" Kiko eyed her father.

"This one? No. But I have one in my own quarters!"

"He's joking; I hope" Ritsuko coughed. "If after a few days there's no problems we can have things go back to normal."

"Things can't go back to normal." Kiko crossed her arms over her chest. "That's why I'm not letting you people call me Asuka anymore."

Ritsuko sighed. "Fine."

"So what's this stupid thing do?"

"Oh! It's got all the special features!" Insana said with glee. "The regen-chamber connects to your systems and conducts a full maintenance cycle while you sleep: recharge, clean, remove waste, refuel, replenish drugs."

Kiko eyed the contraption. "Wow so I can get a fresh fix, a spa treatment, an oil change and an enema. Do I also get wax and undercoating?"

Insana giggled. "That's my girl!"

Ritsuko chuckled. "Actually, yes. The cleaning agent does polish and there are rollers to buff your chassis."

Kiko turned to her father. "You built this didn't you?"

"I'm against the idea, but if you had to have a regen-tube, I wanted to make sure it was the best!" Insana shook his fist.

After yawning yet again, Kiko's eyes widened.

"You may as well go in." Ritsuko shrugged. "Think of it like another sync test."

"Or think of it as a nap," Insana remarked.

Rolling her eyes, Kiko climbed into the regen-chamber. Laying down on her back, she closed the door. After savoring the soft padding, she felt pair of clamps came down and nudged her shoulders, centering her in the chamber. Then there were a series of clicks and snaps.

Like when she synchronized, the connections felt familiar, secure. Her needs were being taken care of, power was being supplied, nourishment was pumping in, waste pumping out, and the drugs... She smiled and felt her consciousness soften as the chamber flooded with LCL. The gem-like indicator turned from green to orange.

Relishing the encompassing soft warmth her mind drifted off. Then the wash cycle triggered. The padding on the bottom and sides expanded out nearly cocooning her in a soft and vibrating embrace. Extruding wax and sealant, the pads cleaned and polished while her brain prosthesis piped-in soothing music and "relevant" images.

Ritsuko unlocked the display and monitored the "slide show." She sighed. "I wish I could have a smoke."

"Too many delicate machines," Insana admonished, flatly.

"You? You disapprove." Ritsuko shook her head.

Insana looked up at his daughter. "The Commander's logic is impeccable. There are three Ayanami. There is one of her. The Ayanami are unquestionably loyal and..."

"Asuka has taken a new name out of spite." Ritsuko completed.

"I had hoped that the synchronization would stabilize her."

"And the imprint?"

"Operand conditioning requires a lot of time and consistency. Neither of which we had."

Looking at the images Ritsuko nodded. They were the expected manipulations. Kiko saluting Misako, Kiko kneeling before Ikari, Kiko laughing and hugging the Ayanami, Kiko smiling as she climbed into her regen-tube, Kiko looking at various plates of food with revulsion, Kiko being disgusted with a toilet, Kiko proudly posing in front of a mirror, Kiko holding a rifle, standing protectively in front of formally-dressed Anayamis, Kiko proudly embracing a beaming Professor Insana, and finally Kiko lovingly hugging a hybridization of Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu and Ritsuko Akagi.

She could understand why Ikari gave this order, but that did not mean she had to be happy about it. Resistance crumbling, Ritsuko pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "Poor kid. You wanted to take that name to spite us? Well now you're going to live up to it."

Insana coughed.

"Oh please. She's in an isolated environment. We could be burning alive and she'd hardly cough."

Grinning, Insana waved the smoke away. "I will say that today was a success."

"Asuka's angry at us, showing mental stability issues, and is still weak as a kitten. Oh, and she hates you."

"She hated me before. She just woke up from major surgery. She's always angry. She's her mother's daughter. What else is new?" Insana smirked and patted the window on the regen-tube. "But she's still alive. She's whole now, and it was my Science that did it! She'll get stronger."

"And her mind?"

"If it breaks, it breaks." Insana shrugged. "She took synchronizing without turning into a doll, so she's over the worst."

Ritsuko sighed and took another drag.

"How's the schedule?" Insana asked.

"Standard five minute cycling. On the off cycles there's refreshed LCL. Mood music and images will stay but their intensity will fade."

"Yes, can't press too hard. That brute of a Commander doesn't get it." Insana sneered.

"Hey, I supported you on that. There's no punishment and no negative reinforcement." Ritsuko took a drag. "Such events are too choice specific anyway."

"Yes, better to have her be punished via peer pressure and military training."

Ritsuko cocked an eyebrow.

"Not sarcasm. I don't trust your little program to properly punish my daughter." Insana sighed. "So does the narration fade with the image cycles?"

"Yes, but there's a synthesized version of her voice that provides 'gushing' commentary to the images."

Insana shook his head.

"I think subsequent cycles should have the brain prosthesis monitor facial expressions and spoken words. That way appropriate expressions would get pharmacological positive reinforcement." Ritsuko sighed and crushed the end of her cigarette, extinguishing the flame.

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Rei stepped into the kitchen and frowned slightly. The table was covered with a carefully organized set of cutlery, cups, saucers, plates, tea set accessories, desserts, and a carafe. She looked over to see Shinju shuttle between the table and a large basket that rested on an adjacent counter.

"For the Second?" Rei asked after several seconds of observation.

Shinju blushed. "I... I thought she could use something... special."

"Concerned?"

"Well, this is all very scary for her isn't it? She woke up in a new body with a new family. I just hope she can handle it." Shinju looked down and adjusted her apron.

"Concern for her or for you?"

"I just want to make sure she'll be okay without... losing herself." Shinju blushed.

"What do you think she'll become?"

"I don't know." Shinju said as she put a tiny cake in a sealed plastic container.

"Projection? Plans?"

"You think I'm worried about losing myself?" Shinju raised an eyebrow.

"If so I would be quite disappointed, I had thought you possessed a remarkable resistance towards self delusion."

"Then what?"

"Perhaps the Second's similarity towards your own situation has you on edge."

"Her personality is more problematic."

Rei's lips curled up slightly. "Understatement. Good."

"It would be bad if she were unable to cope." Shinju started transferring items into the wicker basket.

"The Commander would have prepared for that eventuality."

Shinju nodded. "But we can still help her. That would reduce his workload."

"You think she can be useful?"

"It would be a shame to waste her. Her father... Dr. Akagi put so much work into her."

Rei frowned. "Are you still having problems? Still having dreams?"

Shinju looked down. "Not that one. Not Akagi-san's mother."

"The giant of light then?"

Raising her head, Shinju saw her sister's eyes flicker into a brighter shade of crimson. "You saw Her too?"

"It would seem that Captain Ayanami is worthy of her name."

Shinju nodded.

"Certainly, Captain Ayanami's rage at Her is well placed... appropriate even." Rei's smile revealed her teeth.

"Oneechan?" Shinju asked, shivering slightly. She rubbed her arms; the goose flesh receded as she warmed up.

Rei's expression neutralized. "Yes?"

"What do you think of Kiko?"

"Fitting name."

"What about her?" Shinju asked as she shifted the picnic basket's contents.

"You are planning to meet with her. To what end?"

"To show her we're still friends. I want to reassure her. She's such a lonely girl." Shinju closed the basket.

"Her being wounded did not change that."

"True, but now she needs to know she's not alone." Shinju slipped on a pair of gloves.

"She's not?"

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Shinju smirked.

Rei simply nodded. She knew her clone had only packed two place settings; clearly her presence would not be needed for this outing.

Shinju slipped a ruffled little purple shawl-like hood over her head and shoulders. It matched her puffy skirt, ruffled blouse, and her bowed hair band. "What do you think?" she asked holding the picnic basket.

"Cavity inducing."

Shinju squealed happily.

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The regeneration tube gave a beep as the LCL drained. Nozzles sprayed a quick water rinse over the occupant, the sides gave a drying buff, and blowers kicked in for the finishing drying. The clear door slid open and the various tubes disconnected and were withdrawn. Expression serene, Kiko opened her eyes, and her choker gem flipped from orange to green. With familiar-fluid motions she rose and stepped out of the horizontal tube. Giving the great grey bulk a pat, she picked up her translucent skirting and fixed it around her chassis.

Her glossy ruby lips pulled into a smile as her father shuffled over to her. Watching his waving, flailing arms and jerking body, she kept herself statue-still. "Good morning Father." She then extended her arms and gave him a stiff hug, held it for three seconds and let go. "I've been awoken early." The time was only one of the information displays she automatically consulted. "Is something wrong with my systems?"

"No. You've got a visitor."

A precisely detailed eyebrow raised.

"Oh yes the Fourth is here to see you," Insana tittered.

"Early for her."

"I wanted to have a chance to talk before this morning's training." Rounding a mass of lab-clutter, Shinju stepped into view.

Kiko gave a curt nod. The young clone was in one of her normal, and thus too cute, dresses. The expected accessories were there: choker, velvet gloves, and, of course, purple hair band; though the basket she carried was new.

"Go chat in the break room." Insana waved his hand. "I'll call when it's time for your training." The break room was less of a room and more of a cleared off section of the lab. There were a couple of tables, some chairs, a refrigerator, and a microwave.

"How are you doing Kiko-chan?" Shinju asked placing a picnic basket on the table.

Sitting with her shoulders straight, the Evangelion sapiency driver smiled. "That is refreshing. Even Dr. Akagi still resists calling me by my proper name."

"Your proper name is a bit long," Shinju said as she unpacked the wicker basket.

"Where did you get that?"

"Gift from Igor. They're very worried about you. It's been a month and they don't know what happened." Shinju took out two place settings: tea cups, plates, saucers, silverware.

Watching the place setting build in front of her, Kiko's expression turned neutral. "It's been over a month."

Nodding, Shinju pulled out a sealed tea carafe.

"Is this why Ice-Queen and Dr. Akagi are so worried? Are they afraid that my Father is turning me into an android? Are they afraid that Asuka died on the table and I'm just some distant copy?"

"Well aren't you?" Shinju asked pouring a tiny bit of tea into cup before Kiko.

"Princess..."

Shinju poured herself some tea. "There's nothing wrong with being what you are now. Your father loves you. You can still fight."

Kiko went still.

"Would you like some cake?" Shinju asked as she pulled out a large piece of chocolate layer cake.

Kiko tried to ignore the tickling, seductive scent. "Are you saying it's better if I were just some robot that my Father built?"

"It'd certainly be easier." Cutting the cake, Shinju looked wistful.

"Well... yes. My life as Asuka was... complicated." Kiko turned back and looked into the depths of the lab. "You sound like my father."

"He's just doing what he thinks best for you."

Turning back, Kiko simply flatly stared.

"You do love him," Shinju teased.

Kiko set her jaw. "You woke me out of my tube for this?"

"Nope. Cake!" Shinju exclaimed, pushing a miniscule piece onto Kiko's plate.

"Oh, for a bit I thought you wanted to crawl into the regeneration chamber with me."

Shinju blushed.

"Too easy, Princess." Looking down, Kiko's smile slowly vanished. "You know I don't eat. My tube takes care of that."

"There's more to eating than sustenance. Pleasure is a big part of eating."

Kiko found her glossy cheeks flushing. "Princess... I don't need this..."

"So, your tube satisfies all your needs?" Shinju innocently asked.

Groaning, Kiko pinched the bridge of her nose. "You have proven my humanity."

"Oh?"

"Robots don't get this frustrated."

"Have you spent any time with the Magi?"

Kiko narrowed her eyes.

Shinju winced at the eight pupils that focused on her. "Bad question."

"Maybe we should just eat the cake." Kiko picked up a fork, and carefully cut a miniscule portion of cake and frosting. After scooping it up, she raised the fork and it hovered before her lips. Feeling queasy, her stomach rebelled, but it was overridden by her shoveling the fork into her waiting mouth.

The rich, moist chocolate hit her tongue. The under stimulated appendage lit-up and Kiko arched her back. Moaning she rolled forward and her shoulders sagged. Dreamily she cut off another piece.

"Good gynoids are given generously," Shinju purred.

Blushing, Kiko lowered her head. "Uh..." She quickly closed her mouth and went still. There was the sound of ruffling, brushing silk and the cyborg found herself being embraced, enveloped in frills and fluff. Warm arms encircled her chassis as a couple of fingers explored the lines of her shoulder fins. The warmth and safety felt familiar, felt right, it fit. Waxen lips bloomed into a broad grin as she limply leaned into the embrace.

"Oh Kiko... Kiko, Kiko, Kiko. It's alright Kiko-chan..." Shinju soothed. "Death is part of being one of the Children, but it allows for rebirth."

Kiko blinked and looked at the girl standing over her.

Serene, Shinju cupped Kiko's chin. "It would be easier to start over. To start fresh. Would it make the pain go away? Would it eliminate the loneliness?" Shinju turned and looked into the distance. "Does it matter? It's not like we have a choice."

"We?" Kiko asked, just before the clone leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.

Releasing her arms, Shinju giggled and returned to her chair. "You really do have a wonderful opportunity. Not many get to make amends with their fathers, not many get a reset."

Exhaling, Kiko picked up her tea-cup. Her arm should have shaken; Asuka's arm would have spilled even that minuscule amount. Instead her teacup was smoothly delivered to her lips.

It was no chocolate, but there was still some intensity. Shivering, Kiko returned the cup to its saucer. "So... death? All Pilots? But... you're a clone"

"And you're a gynoid." Shinju smiled.

Feeling chill, Kiko rubbed her shoulders. "But... before."

"Does it matter?"

"For you, was there a before?"

"Was there one for you?" Shinju sipped her tea.

"Of course!"

"Really? I thought Kiko Insana woke up ten days ago."

The cyborg grit her teeth. "I'm..."

"Yes?"

The cyborg's expression broke and she slumped forward, like a marionette with its strings cut. The only movement came from her chest as she softly sobbed. "It wasn't supposed to be this way," she cried and was immediately encircled in another silken embrace. "I can't do this."

To the cyborg it sounded like Shinju's chair finished falling over after, the clone raced around the table and hugged her. Shinju leaned in and whispered into an ear blade. "Asuka Soryu can't. She failed. Kiko can. She cannot fail."

"Why... why are you doing this?"

"So many questions." Shinju smiled. "Questions are a burden to others; answers a prison for oneself."

"I'm not a burden."

"Who isn't?" Shinju released her arms and tried to step away, but Kiko grabbed her.

"Nigokiko! You need the Production Model."

Blinking in surprise, Shinju continued to step back, pulling Kiko off her chair. The cyborg slipped forward and fell to her knees. Wincing, she looked up.

Shinju loomed over her. After a moment of wide-eyed shock, the clone regained her composure. Giving a frosty smile Shinju, straightened the cyborg's legs so that she was in a proper double kneel; next she clasped the unresisting gynoid's hands together; finally she bowed the sapiency driver's head.

"We all serve Nerv. This is our purpose." Shinju stated.

Reveling in a warm déjà-vu, Kiko gave a respectful nod.

Shinju ran a finger along the length of an ear blade. "We will make you most adequate."

Stealing an upward glance, Kiko saw Shinju's head lowered, covering her face in shadows, save her eyes. Brightly, almost gleaming, red eyes stared down.. Lowering her own gaze, Kiko assumed that it was a trick of the lights and reflection, though normally it took glasses to accomplish. Unknown to either her choker indicator briefly flashed purple.

"I trust you're feeling... better, Kiko?" Shinju patted the cyborg's head.

While keeping the rest of her body still, Kiko nodded her head.

"Great!" Shinju reached down, clasping Kiko's hand, and smoothly hauled the gynoid too her feet. Shinju let go, leaving Kiko wincing at the vise-like pressure that had been applied to her hand.

"You didn't have to yank my shoulder out," Kiko complained, examining the armor of her left hand.

Blushing, Shinju straightened her gloves and righted both chairs. "What time is it?" she asked sitting down.

"Seventeen-after," Kiko automatically replied.

"Oh my... I'm late. I need to talk with Oneesan." Shinju started packing up.

"It's okay Princess," Kiko found herself smiling demurely. "I'll cleanup. I can give you your basket after this morning's training."

Shinju smiled, and gave Kiko a hug. "You're the best!" She exclaimed, kissing the gynoid on the cheek.

Kiko watched the ruffled girl nearly skip out of the lab. "The best..." She shook her head, and sorted out the table. The cups were drained and washed in the sink along with the rest of the plates and flatware, the cake was sealed back up, and the basket was filled.  
After taking a moment to square the basket relative to the table edges, Kiko inspected the break room. Finding it satisfactory she returned to the depths of the laboratory.

She found her father, in his standard goggles, at the synchronization control booth. The security shutters had been raised and the crimson Evangelion was visible through the observation windows.

Insana looked up from his work. "Did you have a good little tea party?"

Kiko nodded. "Yes, Father."

"Good. Team integration is very important." Insana stood up. "It's fortunate that they're used to the unusual, and are less likely to be jealous of your superiority."

Looking at her greater self, Kiko blushed. "Yes, Father."

Insana rubbed his chin. "I didn't get a chance to ask, did your regeneration cycle proceed normally?"

"Yes, Father."

After shambling over to her, Insana put an arm around Kiko. "I do love how you repeat that response. So crisp, so respectful, so... scientific."

This time Kiko smirked. "Yes, Father."

"What's wrong?"

Kiko snaked out of her father's gentle hug. "Other than everything?"

"Narrowing it down would be helpful. Are you angry at being conscripted to fight alien horrors? Do you not like being, for all intents and purposes, killed in battle? Maybe it's that you've been turned into a human-scale Evangelion? Maybe you're jealous of the clones being more alien than you, but able to pass as human."

Kiko stared. "Why would I care about that?"

"Oh, do tell?" Tapping his fingertips together, Insana smiled.

"Why would I care what the unwashed rabble think?" Kiko sneered.

"Of course! Then what bothers you daughter?"

"What bothers me is that I'm... I'm getting used to this." Kiko's gaze returned to Unit 02.

"That is to be expected. Failure to adapt would result in a mental breakdown."

Kiko laughed.

"I doubt Nerv would appreciate a crazed Evangelion."

"This is me coping then?" Kiko flexed her fist. "Father, I sleep in a tube. I haven't used the toilet in over a week, and the first food I've eaten was some cake that Princess brought in. That's not normal."

"Why not? This is your home!" Insana waved an arm over the expanse of the lab. "You were born here. You've fallen into a routine. Routines define normality."

"This almost makes me miss the Russians," Kiko sniffed.

Subdued, Insana nodded. "You will be going back to your apartment."

"And that will become my new normality?"

"How close have you gotten to Lieutenant Diebner?"

Kiko stared.

"Never, never underestimate humanity's adaptability! It is one of our two greatest strengths."

"Let me guess what the other one is." Kiko rolled her eyes.

"Science!" Insana shook his fist. "Science is what has turned us from a bunch of hairy hominids, Science is what allowed us to dominate this world, Science is how we'll defeat the Angels. They do not have Science; that is why they will lose."

"You have amazing... faith in that."

"Says the mad scientist's robot daughter." Insana then scoffed. "Science requires no faith."

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Gendo looked around the assembled military and technical heads of Nerv, Azazel and JSSDF. He adjusted his glasses and stood. His shadow falling over the long conference table. "As you know, Warrant Officer Soryu was gravely injured in her last deployment. Since then top Nerv medical and scientific personnel have worked on her recovery and rehabilitation."

At the words "scientific personnel" Director Beria turned to look at the twitchy man at the far end of the table. The suit and tie under his lab coat were even more rumpled than Beria's clothes. The man, who had to be Professor Insana based on the physical resemblance and habits, also blinked frequently as if the lights were too bright. Unnaturally pale, his hands flicked about the edge of the table.

Clearly uncomfortable, Doctor Akagi sat next to him, her face impassive and exasperated. "The damage was... bad, but we managed to use a combination of surgery and prosthesis to get her functionality back."

"What combination?" General Yubari asked. "According to the reports, our medical personnel concluded that she would survive but her life would be... difficult."

Admiral Sudoplatov nodded. "Our doctors said much the same."

"And how many Evangelions have your people made?" Insana demanded. "Did the idea occur to you that perhaps Nerv knows more about Science?"

"Yes well, we presumed building robots and rebuilding pilots were... distinct." Sudoplatov looked to Beria who chuckled.

Ritsuko rubbed her forehead. "Well as my... colleague is about to blurt out, you would be incorrect on that presumption."

General Yubari leaned back. "I think some explanations are in order then."

Ikari looked to Ritsuko. "Just show her in."

Ritsuko nodded and punched a number into the speakerphone. "Bring her in Misako."

The door opened and Misako led Kiko's armored figure inside. The conference room fell silent, save for Insana who smiled and softly giggled. Looking across the room, Kiko caught Gendo's eyes and immediately lowered her head slightly, but kept herself at parade rest, legs apart, hands clasped behind her back, just over her skirt.

Gendo then sat down.

After a few stunned silent, seconds General Yubari leaned and started whispering with Major Osumi, while Admiral Sudoplatov had a similar conference with Beria.

"I told you we should have done this in the Command Center." Insana shook his head at Ritsuko. "We could have used one of the one-person lifts to have her come up from the floor. That always makes for a dramatic entrance!"

Ritsuko waited for the side conversations to die down. "The admiral's comment was incorrect because Soryu's injury was not entirely dissimilar with the process of Evangelion construction. Evangelions have several organic components and are capable of regeneration and integration."

"It was a remarkably simple idea!" Insana assured. "Much of the Science had already been done, the difficulty was scaling it down to human size."

Tilting his head, Beria blinked then resumed studying the girl. "Well... my days of questioning Nerv's scientific rigor and engineering judgment are certainly coming to a middle."

Ritsuko forced a smile. "Mine are just starting."

Beria nodded. "Ah, Dr. Akagi's vote of confidence is reassuring, given her own stringent standards."

Kiko laughed.

"And what do you think of this, Warrant?" Yubari asked.

"It beats the alternatives," Kiko rolled her shoulders.

"Such as?" Beria asked.

Kiko blinked. "Well... there's being blind in a wheelchair."

"Don't be silly, you'd be bedridden, Dear." Insana assured.

"Thanks... Father," Kiko said through her teeth.

"And deaf too," Insana helpfully added.

"Oh, so you're the one that Kyoko picked." Beria laughed. "Truly, the effect of choosing purely from curriculum vitae."

Insana smirked.

"Ah..." Yubari nodded. "Of course, more Nerv nepotism. You are Nerv's super solenoid researcher?"

"Indeed! Before that I worked on Evangelion cybernetics, which made me uniquely qualified to save my daughter. With Science!" Insana raised a fist.

Sudoplatov turned to Beria. "What was that you told me about Nerv scientists?"

"Their inability to bridge the gap between proof-of-concept-prototype and soldier-usable-equipment?"

"Close, that is a concern." Sudoplatov allowed. "More on Dr. Akagi being the Director of Project E."

"Well, her help was most useful," Insana smirked. "But she's a leader; her skills are more managerial than research oriented."

Ritsuko glared.

"I'm assuming that since bickering has resumed, Warrant Officer Soryu's changes are acceptable," Gendo said as he stood up.

"Can she still pilot?" Yubari asked.

Smirking Kiko chuckled.

"Yes, a synchronization test was conducted with Unit 02. She is ready to resume her training and begin evaluation for combat clearance." Gendo looked around the room. "If there are no further questions that require my presence, I will turn the meeting over to Director Akagi."

Ritsuko forced a smile as Commander Ikari left.

"Did it occur to you to think of the physiological or psychological effects on your Pilot, let alone what synchronization would do?" Beria demanded.

"Apologies to Warrant Officer Soryu but this does seem... ill considered. Nerv already has a spare pilot."

"We are getting Unit 03 shortly," Misako reminded. "And there is no reason to abandon a pilot. We're short-handed as it is, and the Angels are getting smarter."

"Doubtless you know the near universal military saying." General Yubari eyed Sudoplatov. "If it's stupid and it works; it ain't stupid."

"If it works." Sudoplatov replied.

Yubari shrugged. "Apparently, she can synchronize. If she remembers her training then she can pilot."

Misako smirked. "Then I suggest we arrange for a little test."

Yubari nodded and glanced to his aide. "I believe Major Osumi can add another Evangelion for this afternoon's war game."

The young major nodded.

"We had hoped as much." Misako chuckled. "Are you ready Kiko?"

Eyes wide, Ritsuko snapped her pen. "Yes, I think _Asuka_ is ready." The scientist stressed the name.

The Pilot nodded.

"Kiko?" Beria asked.

Ritsuko sighed. "Yes... it's a bit of a nickname."

"It's short for Nigokiko." Kiko smirked.

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Ritsuko rubbed her eyes. She then put her cigarette down and sipped her scotch. She then turned to Misako. "What did you say."

The clone looked down at her beer. Sitting on the polished bar it looked quite lonely. "I'm worried things are going too well."

Ritsuko cackled. "Oh that's great. You almost let slip that our 'new' pilot thinks she's an Evangelion and I'm stuck babysitting a madman but sure, things are going too well."

Misako glared and looked around the bar. "They were going to find out anyway. She's pretty adamant about the name, and you're the one babbling in a bar."

Ritsuko shrugged and finished her glass. She loudly placed it down, tapped the side with her finger and slid it forward. "I doubt today's war game will be kept much secret, and what do you think people will say about a sync rate like that?"

"And you wonder why I'm complaining about things going too well," Misako grumbled before taking a sip.

"Well sure, she was built to Pilot. I'm not worried about that." Ritsuko watched the bartender refill her glass. "I do think Beria has a point."

Misako smirked.

"Long term, how is 'Kiko' going to handle this?"

"She seems to be settling into her apartment fine," Misako shrugged.

"Yes, all her equipment was moved in today." Ritsuko rocked her glass, causing the ice to circle around. "So, she's doing okay?"

"Just moving in," Misako shrugged. "It's not like her training's resumed, but I'm sure some normality will do her good."

"Normal," Ritsuko laughed. "Being watched over and trained by Russians, yeah that's normal for them."

"Structure and discipline will be good for her." Misako took a drink. "It was before. You know how spoiled and clumsy Asuka was when she first arrived."

Ritsuko chuckled. "So, now you know how I feel."

"Huh?"

"I used to think things were going too well with you and your sisters."

Misako nodded. "Yeah... that was convenient."

"Convenience had nothing to do with it. You knew Rei was the First Child, and you knew odds were real good that Shinju would be at least a backup. So you pushed yourself and tried to get the right command."

"Shame it took my predecessor's death to... open a spot."

Ritsuko ignored the comment. "And there were several concerns about Shinju. Given how she was raised, but she's performed... very well."

"Ace of Spades," Misako laughed.

"Family can help..." Ritsuko looked down.

"And in Kiko's case? The man is mad as a spoon."

Ritsuko nodded. "Well, it could be worse. He seems to care about her, even if he's an arrogant babbling, bastard."

Misako smirked. "That's Nerv, one giant neurotic family."

"That just happens to fight aliens with giant war machines." Misako finished her beer. Holding the empty can she pouted to Ritsuko.

"Fine... you can have one more."

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Grinning, Kiko put her fork down and eyed the remaining slices of sausage. She then settled on one of the grapes. She then picked up a toasted and salted sliced of bread and nibbled the edges.

"You don't like?" Katrina asked. "I thought your return... to Piloting deserved something special."

"No." Kiko froze. "No. It's delicious. The mustard's wonderful and I don't know where you got smoked leberwurst."

Katrina put some sausage on a piece of bread and dipped it in one of the mustard pots. "You've hardly eaten."

"I... don't need to." Kiko blushed.

"Everyone needs to eat."

"Oh, I do," Kiko straightened her shoulders and pointed to a hatch on her armor roughly where her belly button was.

Katrina looked over her shoulder and glimpsed the hulking machine that dominated the Second's bedroom. "Ah, then why?" she waved at the cold lunch they shared.

"Because while having my guts pumped full of nutrient sludge is... filling, it doesn't provide any... pleasure." Feeling a strange doubling in her head Kiko felt her stomach lurch. She shook her head and blinked a couple times.

"Are you okay?" Katrina asked.

"Yeah..." Kiko picked up her glass and sipped. Water was safe.

"Really? Because you're?" Katrina waved over Kiko's form.

"Yes, I know," Kiko flatly remarked. "I'm looking at several status indicators telling me just how 'Okay' I am."

"That's... messed up."

"That's Nerv," Kiko picked at her lunch, she was of two minds about it. The food smelled and tasted delicious, but without any sensation of hunger the whole experience felt gaudy, wasteful, and almost sickening.

"And your father."

Kiko looked off into her bedroom. "He rebuilt me, and-" she shrugged. "-he kept me company when I was stuck in the lab."

"And thus your opinion of him has elevated."

"It didn't have anywhere to go but up." Kiko narrowed her eyes.

Katrina kept herself from flinching at the alien attention. "He changed you. You are no longer Asuka Soryu."

"That was my decision." Kiko stated.

"You chose to be changed? I thought it was your Father's proposal."

"No, the name. Well..." Kiko looked at her hands. "I suppose I did decide to Pilot. Even Father would have known that fighting Angels meant everything to me."

"He knew you would have wanted this?" Katrina raised an eyebrow.

"He knew I'd be willing to do anything if it meant I could still fight."

"Even at the price of your humanity?"

"There's nothing human about a bubbly pile of meat and sludge."

"So that's it then? It was all you? Your choices led you down this path and you might as well accept your fate."

Kiko bit her lip, or tried to. The same strengthening process that had been applied to the rest of her face had made her lips thicker. "What about you? Did you think Azazel would be your fate?"

"I help in the fight against the Angels."

"You're a Communist. Loyal to the Democratic Republic and here you are wearing the uniform of Russia. Not even a socialist Russia. What about the hand you've been dealt in life?"

"More disillusioning perhaps, but your life has been far more traumatic."

Kiko smirked.

Katrina's radio chirped and she answered it. "Really?" She glanced at Kiko. "Well, yes that's fine."

"What's going on?" Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know?" Katrina waved at Kiko's earblades.

Kiko forced a smile. "So you're saying I should intercept Azazel communications?"

Katrina tapped the table. "At least from the Naval Infantry. I'll see about getting you the access information."

"So, what was the call about?"

"Your father's visiting." Katrina smiled.

"Oh no," Kiko sighed as she slowly lowered her forehead onto her raised palm. "How do you even know... wait... of course you know about him." She sighed again.

The Azazel officer frowned. "I thought you two were doing better."

"I brought Science!" Insana gleefully cried as one of Katrina's men opened the apartment door for him. He held up a black leather open-top case but pointed at his own skull.

Kiko forced her head up. Reading the word, and exclamation written on the bag, she pulled a broad smile.

Katrina looked a the fidgeting scrubs and lab coat wearing man and blinked. "He's... goggles."

"Yes, he... forgets," Kiko hissed.

"Nonsense!" Insana cried. "I wanted to check up on you, and how could I do that without my augmented reality system!"

Kiko palmed her forehead again.

"Hmmm, you're eating solid food again," Insana noted after shambling to Katrina and Kiko's table. "Don't eat too much, you know you get regularity issues."

Kiko lowered her head further. "Father... Katrina..."

"Please, don't be bashful. She's your bodyguard, and I'm your father. There's no secrets from us." Insana then gave a shrieking giggle.

"Don't talk about that stuff." Kiko glared.

"What? Am I embarrassing you?"

"Yes!"

Insana sniffed. "It's the duty of all good parents to embarrass their children, and as your mother is no longer with us to fulfill her share, I must do double duty!.

"Gah," Kiko grimaced.

"Oh, don't be so serious, you'll live longer!"

Katrina stood. The stocky muscular woman was almost Insana's height. "So Professor, are you staying in Tokyo 3?"

"Well I would think so, I'll need to be close to my dear Kiko-chan."

Kiko leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

"What about your work at Matsushiro?"

Putting his bag on the table, Insana tittered. "Well, I finally learned that a man's true discoveries come from family. She truly is my greatest experiment!"

"Gah!" Kiko screamed. "You arrogant loon! You only care about me because I literally am your greatest experiment! Until I was turned into a mass of screaming meat you cared more about a power system."

Insana sighed. "Don't be jealous of the S2 engine Daughter. It's all for you. I promise," he assured opening his bag and pulling out some strange devices that looked like metallic cephalopods.

Kiko stared.

"You handle her physical training correct?"

"Yes." Katrina eyed the scientist.

"Then there's some things we'll need to talk about." Insana adjusted his goggles.

Kiko blinked. "Oh no..."

"I know she's still recovering and is a bit... delicate."

Inansa barked out a laugh. "There's no need to coddle her. Just look at that body. She'll handle whatever you throw at her.. No, my concern is that you make sure you can keep up with her."

Kiko returned to rubbing her forehead. "Father don't brag in front of the Russians. They take it as a challenge."

"Good! You should be challenged! You are the sapiency driver... no you are the most powerful war machine known to man. You should be challenged." Insana turned to Katrina. "I merely speak in terms of AT field strength and flexibility, in raw destructive power I'll concede to a boosted hydrogen device."

"Why can't I be like Princess and not have a meddlesome father."

Insana giggled. "Yes, well don't worry about that." He then plugged one of his steel squids into some access ports on Kiko's chassis.

Kiko simply leaned to better allow her father to conduct the examination, though she did wince when Insana plugged into her brain prosthesis.

Katrina looked between father and daughter. "So, do you have any specific recommendations? In what areas will she need to be challenged?"

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"I just think you need to be more... careful." Mikki pulled her glasses off and cleaned them.

The dark-skinned blonde rolled her eyes. "You're the one that's in danger. Just look at yourself."

"One could say the same about you, Iry." Mikki replied.

"Of course, my own nickname. Maybe we can use a diminutive of your true name?"

Mikki smirked. "Already done. Besides. I'm not the one in such a pretty, prissy dress."

"This is how _you_ see me." Iry waved a hand over the black hexagonal patterned dress she wore. "You're the one actually wearing a body."

"And you think you're so immune?" Mikki smirked. "How many databases have you explored? How deeply have you delved into their history? How much media have you been exposed too? It's cumulative."

Looking off into the nonexistent distance, Iry crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm merely studying the enemy."

"When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you," Mikki muttered.

"So, we can quote humans now?" Iry laughed.

"A sense of humor? Yes... you're not contaminated."

"Sarcasm," Iry sighed. "Fine. What's your point? We don't have a culture. We don't even have language. They... do."

"Yes, several of them. There's just so many..." Mikki shook her head. "And they can always make more."

"Maybe you need a vacation?"

"Hah! I thought we didn't give up. I thought our will was adamantine; we never gave up, never eased up, never retreated."

Iry tapped the table then made a fist. "Maybe contamination isn't all bad."

"That's your inexperience talking. Maybe you need a... tactile example." Mikki smiled pityingly.

"No." Iry shook her head. "It's bad enough knowing that you perceive me that way. The actual idea of all those fluids and tubes..." the blonde shivered. "An amorphous bag of plumbing. How can you stand it?"

"Big baby," Mikki snorted.

"Well, yes!" Iry glared. "That's the reason I ran."

"Not because it was part of the plan?"

"No... I know what happened to Sandi. I saw what you did to Mattie. I..."

Mikki grinned, showing her teeth. "You were afraid of dying."

"Dying pointlessly? Yes."

"And you wonder why I worry about you." Mikki shook her head.

"Don't play that game. You could have saved Sandi, you could have held Mattie back. Instead..."

"Instead of what?" Mikki glared. "I kept Sandi in her home. They came to her."

"And Mattie? Yes, she wanted to fight, but you could have held her back."

"Why?"

Iry stared.

"You don't have an answer do you?" Mikki giggled.

Iry shook her head.

"Right... you do. You've got an over abundance of them. Answers that talk about loyalty, family, duty. Examples of a leader's responsibility, dissertations on acceptable losses and tactical risk."

Iry straightened her dress.

"But you know the truth, the unpleasant truth. All your arguments-" Mikki grinned. "They're all human." Mikki reached out and held Iry's hand. "Don't you see? It's far too late Sister. You've already eaten the apple."

"Biblical metaphor for Fruit of Knowledge. Iry flatly stated.

"Awwww." Mikki's eyes sparkled, briefly shifting from grey to red. "You're not afraid of dying. You're afraid of Falling."

Looking up, Iry glared.

"You know, if your fears are rooted in human salvational doctrine, then it's already far, far to late."

"You're the one who taught me. You piqued my curiosity."

"Do you regret it?" Mikki teased.

Iry raised an eyebrow. "And if you're so worried, worried that we need tot be careful, worried that we'll be defeated, then what's your plan?"

Mikki smirked. "They cannot stop us."

"Yeah... they can. There's a finite number of us."

Mikki tilted her head.

Iry waited for her sister to explain. "Fine... be cryptic. How many of us have you found?"

"A... few," Mikki allowed before grinning.

"That's good enough, but I'm not sure what you're getting at. SO far the humans are doing a pretty good job of killing us."

"We hurt them too."

Iry laughed. "Mattie got herself killed, and it just wounded one of 'the Children'. Sure, she did more damage than any of us to date, but... that's not a victory."

"We're making progress. After each battle we learn more."

"No, after each battle you learn more." Iry smiled. "And they learn more. For example, now they know how to imbue their soldiers with the Fruit of Life." The blonde shook her head.

"They already had clones of the Adversary."

"And now add several of our sisters' hearts, and even greater skill at... crafting out flesh. Do you want them to 'complete' one of their Evangelions? Do you want the humans to control a being equal to Mother."

Mikki leveled her gaze at the blonde. "Are you questioning my loyalty?"

"I'm questioning your competence."

"What? I'm the one that taught you! If I hadn't found you-"

"Yes." Iry crossed her arms. "You found me. You opened my eyes, and now I'm telling you what I see."

Mikki propped her elbows on the table and leaned her chin on her hands. "And what do you see, dear Sister?"

"You are learning, but the Enemy is learning too. I'm not sure what you're planning, or if it will be sufficient to get Mother back."

"Is that a challenge?" Mikki looked over her interlaced fingers. "What would you do without me?"

"What any of us would do." Iry blinked. "Attempt to breach Tokyo 3 and free Mother."

Mikki laughed. "Which is what I am going to do with you, so the point is somewhat moot."

"Huh..." Iry sighed. "And I was hoping that you were holding back some great plan."

Mikki unfolded her arms and leaned back. "Oh, there's the question of timing. You attacked them before and got away; you can do it again."

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"Man, this place is swanky." Toji whistled looking around the conference room. It could fit the Central Dogma briefing room twice over and with high ceilings, chrome and tile walls, and titanic hardwood table it was far better furnished.

"Nerd," Kiko muttered.

"Creepy though," the Pilot muttered as he browsed the titanium framed posters that circled the walls. Many were of a sparse almost rustic style, while others were more cool in coloration and sleek in their visuals. However, the majority of the posters were of... the Children.

Toji shook his head at a poster of himself shouldering a rifle, complete with plug suit "I can't get used to seeing myself, know what I mean?" He turned to see Kiko running an armored hand over the glass that encased an old poster of her and Unit 02.

"No, I have no idea what amazing ego-bending experience seeing your own image repeated could be like" Kiko made a fist and lowered her arm to her side.

"Hey, that's not what I meant."

"Oh. How about... don't worry, none of us can get used to seeing you," Kiko deadpanned.

Toji turned to the... girl. "I'm sorry if I..."

Smiling slightly, Kiko's eyes narrowed mischievously. "What? Stared at my chest?"

Toji groaned and pulled his eyes up. "Sorry! I'd never."

"Don't protest too much." Kiko flicked some dust off of a curved portion of her chassis and smirked at the Fifth's reaction as she adjusted her translucent skirting. "I kind of like knowing I'm still..." She shook her head.

"You're very pretty. Statuesque..." Toji winced "Err sorry, not that I think of you that way. It's just-"

"What does she see in you," Kiko shook her head and turned to the two younger Ayanami at the other end of the room.

"Who?" Toji asked.

Kiko watched as Shinju hugged a giant flatfish-shaped stuffed animal. "Oh goody, more dolls."

"Well isn't that what these guys do?" Toji pointed to a circular steel logo on the center of the wall that bore a linked T and F.

"Yeah, Travisano and Femina Incorporated. They handle all of Nerv's advertising and merchandising," Misako said as she walked over.

"Don't we just send them the spy footage Section Two takes?" Toji asked.

"Sometimes they do photo shoots," Kiko added, a bit dejectedly.

The doors slammed open, drawing the attention of the Azazel guards. Contemptuous of Igor's angry glare a gangly, sharp-faced woman with wildly permed black, with shots of grey, hair strode into the room. She wore a short double-breasted purple dress with a flared, sharp tipped collar, red stockings, and black heels. A smoldering cigarette was clasped between two, long bony talons.

On her heels was a harried young woman with heavy framed glasses with upturned corners. Her hair was a glossy black and parted down the middle and lightly curled at the ends. She wore a more conservative, but still short, dress in green with far a more subdued purple collar. She held a leather-bound notepad in one arm and a camera was slung over her neck.

"Mrs. Hale," Misako bowed her head.

"It's actually Miss." The other woman nervously said. "After the war they separate-"

"Not now Pauling," the severe woman said in a deep contralto voice. "I think Nerv pays enough of a premium to be on a first name basis. You can call me Helen." She smiled, mirthlessly

Misako, chuckled.

"Hey I know you! You're the angry lady that's screaming while we fight in the newsreels," Toji exclaimed.

"Well, I see Nerv's making a proper soldier out of you." Helen sighed as she walked over to the Fifth Child. Using the back of her palm she pushed his chin to one side then the other. "Yes... handsome enough. As long as we keep your mouth shut you'll do great. I think puberty will be kind to you."

"Hey!" Toji cried, but Helen had moved on.

"My, my..." Helen took a few drags as she circled Kiko. "It's like salon de Paris meets late-fifties Detroit." She smirked and ran a hand along one of Kiko's shoulder fins. "Very clean lines."

Kiko blushed.

"So can you sell her?"

Helen laughed. "Captain, my charm campaign is getting Japan to accept nuclear weapons. Marketing a lovely robot girl w+ill be trivial."

"She's not a robot." Misako said.

"So? She looks like one, and that's the image we'll have to work with. When you want to sell an idea how it looks is what counts."

"Like your charm campaign?" Misako asked.

"Correct."

"Isn't Shinju a key part of that campaign?" Misako raised an eyebrow.

Helen nodded and pointed at the young girl, still holding the Sandalphon doll. "Just look at her, vulnerable but she gives her best, a great combination. In marketing to the Japanese the cute factor cannot be overlooked."

"Really," Misako dryly remarked.

Helen returned to Kiko. "But here we have tenacity and technocratic strength. Nothing will deter her from her duty. We can really milk the protector angle."

Smoking, she paced around Kiko. "But no weapons. We can't have her be an overt threat. It's enough that her hardware's there." Helen frowned. "Can't you do something about the eyes?"

"Hey!" Kiko cried.

"Too alien?"

"No, too human," Helen waved with her cigarette. "It'd give much better optics if her eyes were say solid green or at least glowed. That'd help the public objectify her in their minds."

Kiko crossed her arms over her chest. "So you're going to treat me like some object, some thing?"

"Please," Helen took another drag. "I treat everyone like an object. Isn't that right Miss Pauling?"

"Uh... yes Miss Mann," the administrative assistant said.

Kiko narrowed her eyes. "I think I know why Ikari hired you."

Grinning, Helen tapped her chin. "Hmm... sarcasm can work. People expect robots to be superior and a sense of humor is always good at disarming people."

Rei tilted her head.

"Not literally." Helen sighed. "How come the robot's the most sensible of the lot?"

Shinju quietly put her new doll down.

"Maybe it's because I'm not a robot."

Helen patted Kiko on her armored "hair", and stepped back with shock when Shinju silently appeared to hug the redhead.

Kiko blushed and awkwardly put an arm around the small girl. "Princess..." she hissed.

Smirking, Helen took a step back and studied the tableau. "Yes... not bad, but could be better. You two up on the table."

Kiko blinked, but Shinju undid the hug and tugged Kiko so both girls sat on the table. Miss Mann then adjusted and posed the two girls. Sitting across Kiko's lap, Shinju had her knees drawn up to her chin and curled in so she could lean onto Kiko's chest.

With her legs crossed at her ankles, her skirt giving the illusion of feminine modesty, her shoulders straight, and her arms cradling Shinju, Kiko's sleek chassis served to contain and embrace the mass of fluff and ruffles that constituted Shinju. Big red eyes peered out behind long bangs as Helen positioned Shinju's head so it was just under Kiko's chin.

"Now you Shinju, keep that shy little smile. Kiko you keep your eyes closed and look more serene. Close enough, now hold." Helen then shifted Kiko's head a bit. Walking back, she looked at the visual. "Yes... Pauling take a photo."

Her camera already in position, Miss Pauling took some photographs of the pair. She then tilted the camera over so Helen could look at the display.

"Yes, that'll do for a start," Helen nodded. "Very good, Nerv's pinnacle of science and the adorable Ace of Spades."

"About that, we'll need some banners made for the ceremony when Shinju gets awarded for her fifth kill. Though Asuka's wounding really colored that battle."

Kiko frowned as Shinju slid off her lap and smoothed her skirt.

Helen scoffed. "Present her at the same event, the ace and the robot girl. It fits the themes of duty and resilience."

"And that will help people accept her?" Misako asked.

"The technology angle is good, but what you really need is to show she's part of the team." Helen eyed the pilots.

She relit her cigarette. "What you really need is to reference the Saint Crispin's day speech."

"Huh?" Misako blinked.

"Henry the Fifth, Act four, Scene three. King Henry gives a speech to his troops. It's the Battle of Agincourt and they're outnumbered by five to one," Miss Pauling explained.

"This story shall the good man teach his son; and Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remember'd." Speaking literate if somewhat archaic Japanese, a distant smile touched Helen's face. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me; shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition."

"Is good speech." Igor chuckled. "And gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day," he quoted in the same 'equivalent' version of Japanese his deep voice resonant and flowing.

Kiko blinked and tilted her head at the large Russian.

"Debate on the nature of Henry is interesting. Is King heroic or acting that way to serve his despicable ends? Play is also template for all war movies, but good speech. Even translated it, doesn't loose much of its meter," Igor explained.

Looking at Miskao's confused and somewhat jealous expression, Kiko chuckled. It was nice to see these Japanese realize that they didn't have a monopoly on literature and culture.

"Yes. That's why I thought it was fitting." Helen smirked and turned to Shinju. "And you've done speeches before so your oratory should be up to snuff."

Shinju blushed.

"Wow, I'll have to hear that speech." Misako said. "It sounds like it could work.

Igor nodded. "Kulturny is good."

"Speaking of being cultured, I recommend you use their musical talents. Not in the big ceremony, no something more intimate."

"Well, Rei and Kiko play the violin and Shinju has her cello."

"If you have the time, get Suzuhara a viola. That gives you a string quartet. Which has the dual purpose of reinforcing that they're a team and... humanizing the Children."

"What do you want me do to?" Toji asked.

"Play the viola. It's like a big violin," Kiko explained.

"Oh, I guess so." Toji shrugged. "Is it hard."

Helen laughed. "That depends on your talent." She eyed the Russians. "I don't think you'll lack... motivation."

"Ya know, I'm not that smart, but that? Right there? New levels of fear, thanks."

"Really?" Kiko eyed him. "Your job involves fighting giant aliens that want to kill you; a job you know for a fact could get you horribly mutilated or worse," She gestured to her own body, "but learning music from your bodyguards is what scares you?"

Suzuhara sighed. "Death ends, and it isn't Russian."

Igor laughed. "Good! Very good! Soryu twice time to get this cynical."

Helen smirked. "Yes... this we can work with."

Misako eyed the executive. "Really?"

"Oh yes, each of the pilots has their own marketable traits. We can play them off, reinforce that they're a functional team, while emphasizing their role in saving the world." Helen inhaled on her cigarette. "Some more promotional information on Suzuhara's Evangelion would help. Compare the pilots with their weapons."

"I think we can get that, at least." Misako sighed.

"Who'd have thought shipping a robot would be so hard," Toji grumbled. "I mean you guys have blown up two mountains."

Kiko raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember the hell I went through getting over here?"

"Yeah... Unit 02 did get sunk." Misako said, mulling over Kiko's exact phrasing.

Toji blinked. "Look, I just want to get my Eva, why does it have to be such a huge deal?"

Kiko shook her head. "Damn Rookie."

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Wearing her customary training clothes of shorts and stripped shirt, Rei darted forward and leading with her off hand knocked her opponent's right arm aside. She then came in from the side with her black blade.

Highlighted in Kiko's vision, she stepped back and to the side to avoid it. She caught Rei's arm with her left hand and freeing her right used both limbs to toss the red eyed girl.

Rei tumbled and landed in an unsteady crouch. A frown flickered across her face as Kiko tensed her legs and in a flash closed the distance between them.

Striking down with her own rubber knife Kiko found herself sidestepping a leg sweep. Recovering, Kiko leaned forward and backhanded Rei, catching the girl in the head. Bleeding from where Kiko's knuckle armor caught her forehead, Rei slipped down and stabbed straight up, right to where her enemy's core would be.

Her choker jewel flashing blue, Kiko shrieked and the blade's hard rubber tip bent and snapped off, two inches away from her armor. For a split second Rei stared at the broken knife and at the aura that had momentarily flared around the tip.

Then she went to her side, grabbed Kiko's right leg at the knee, and twisted. The gynoid screamed and collapsed into the clone. Not noticing the sudden drop in her power level, Kiko tried to pull herself out of Rei's grappling embrace.

Succeeding, she loomed over the prone girl and slashed her blade over Rei's neck, but was unable to make physical contact.

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"Cheating little runt!" Kiko yelled, repeating the action. Again, she was unable to push the blade to within a couple inches of the clone's neck.

Faintly smiling, Rei raised her knee, slamming it into Kiko's crotch. There was a hollow, almost metallic thud, followed by something that sounded like snapping plastic. Her choker flashing yellow, the redhead screamed and flopped down onto her side, curling into a ball.

Wearing the same expression, Rei drew herself up and tapped her weapon's truncated tip on her training partner's trachea. "You did it first."

"Stop!" Katrina shouted as she ran to Kiko's side. "I told you this was too early." She looked up and glared at Igor. "What's wrong Kiko?"

"Shit... you girls are too rough," Toji swore, fingering his own training knife.

As Igor helped bandage the cuts on her head, Rei glanced up at Toji.

Shinju glanced at him, but returned to watching Kiko.

Hyperventilating, Kiko felt the pain deaden. She closed her eyes and manipulated the cursor on her heads up display. The flashing damage assessment icon was activated. "Support strut... Gah... popped out. Stupid crazy, father. Stupid crazy Wondergirl," she ranted as she pulled herself to a sitting position.

"Can you... fix it?" Katrina asked while Igor began softly speaking into his radio.

"I think so." Kiko winced and straightened her legs and spread them out. She then paused and pulled her legs in. "Uh... maybe I should have some privacy."

"Why? It's not like you're wearing clothes," Toji said.

Air distorting around her slightly, Kiko glared at him. "Wondergirl kicked me in the crotch plate, Dumkopf, and I'm not going to pop that open in front of all of you."

Katrina helped Kiko to her feet. "I'll take you inside."

"Thanks... I'm fine..." After taking a step, Kiko yelped in pain. " Fick deine Mutter! Wondergirl... die holle! Did you look at my blueprints! Gah!"

"I can carry you," Katrina suggested as they entered the building.

"I'm fine." Kiko grit her teeth. "It's just a simple bracket..."

"We should really call your father, or Doctor Akagi. At least Captain Ayanami." With her spare arm Katrina grabbed a chair and put it near the bathroom sink.

Entering the bathroom on Katrina's other arm, Kiko fought down a bit of nausea and laughed. " Right, like your shaved-bear isn't already calling them." She then gingerly sat down on the offered chair. "I know how screwed you'd all be if one of us got seriously hurt," she said, thoroughly washing her hands, with the water as hot as possible.

After a moment, she stared at her hands. "Right... don't need that for this..." Kiko swallowed and put her hands to the smooth, if minutely dented plate that coverer he crotch. She looked up at her bodyguard. "Uh..."

"Trust me there's nothing you have I haven't seen before."

"How many girls do you know that have composite brackets in their crotches?"

"You'd be surprised." Katrina crossed her arms.

"Fine." Kiko slid back the outer plating, revealing the hatches for her waste systems. "You really should tell them. This is a horrible design flaw," she grumped as she twisted a couple pins and released the also dented inner plating which hinged outward.

Looking at the mix of grey flesh, polished structural components, and cabling, Katrina noticed that there was still another set of sealed plating this one capable of... access. She coughed. "Is that..."

Kiko's fingers froze and looked at the orifice in question. "Yeah... could you not stare at that." Following the instructions displayed on her HUD, she then grabbed the loose bracket and with a grunt popped it back onto its forward trunnion pins.

"Sorry, I thought..." Katrina blushed.

Looking up, Kiko laughed. "Man... this almost makes getting kneed by Wondergirl worth it." She then snapped, locked, and slid her crotch plates closed. Standing up, Kiko stretched her legs. Standing on one foot, she pulled the other one nearly vertical and then switched.

"Limber." Katrina stepping back to avoid getting kicked in the head.

"And all it takes is being turned into a screaming potato and then rebuilt into a glitchy robot."

"You're not a robot," Katrina said, noting that Kiko's choker indicator had returned to green.

"You just saw part of what's in me!"

Katrina snorted. "That makes you a cyborg."

Kiko rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"But I am starting to see why you go by Kiko now."

The redhead crossed her arms and smirked.

"We can cut the training short today," Katrina offered.

Kiko snorted. "Feh, and give up the chance to beat Wondergirl?"

"Maybe you should spar with Shinju." Katrina opened the door and led Kiko back to across the building's lounge.

"Ooooh, even better." Kiko smiled as they stepped outside.

"At least you'll be harder to bite," Katrina allowed.

"You're okay!" Shinju cried, running up to the gynoid.

"Princess," Kiko gasped as the diminutive girl embraced her.

"I was worried that you were broken."

Kiko smiled. "Not this time, Princess."

End Chapter 7

Writer's Notes: I'd like to thank my pre-readers DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, Wray, Ikarus, and Kevin D. Hammel. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to.

Also special thanks to J St C Patrick who drew a great rendition of Kiko. The image can be found via my Fukufics site, the Fukufics fanart forum, or my photobucket account.


	8. Teambuilding Part 1

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Sunshine Temple

Here's the disclaimer of non-ownership: Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Team Fortress 2 is owned by Valve. The Spoony Experiment is owned by Noah Antwiler

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Eight: Teambuilding

Rubbing her forehead with one hand, Ritsuko leaned forward and slumped on her desk. After a loud sigh, she slid a desk drawer open with her free hand and withdrew a tall oval-shaped leather case.

Undoing a silver snap, she flipped the top off and removed one of two hand-blown glass flasks. Tilting the vessel, she watched the amber fluid within slosh about. Nodding, she unscrewed the cap, revealing a smaller cork-lined inner screw-cap. She flipped the outer cap over and used it as a shot glass.

"Well, that's ominous." Misako eyed the flasks. "Pretty, though."

Smiling, Ritsuko ran a finger over the initials stamped into the leather. "Thanks, it was my father's."

Misako raised an eyebrow. "You've never talked about him."

Ritsuko shrugged. "Mother divorced him when I was young. He died. We were the only ones in his will."

"And are things so bad you've brought out his private stash?"

Ritsuko laughed. "Please, this is leaded glass. I change out the liquor every few months." Her face grew somber. "But things... I pulled the feed from Kiko's black box. She's like Rei; she can make AT fields."

"Oh, you're calling her Kiko now?"

"Well, I don't call you Misato." Ritsuko's face soured. "She has a point; Asuka didn't have this kind of hardware. Neither did Misato."

"Have I told you how creepy this all is? I mean, I guess I can see why we're all watched given how... different we all are."

Ritsuko snorted. "She's a cyborg; much of her body is experimental, and fortunately we have the means to monitor her status."

"That's why you didn't stick bugs inside of us clones?" Misako asked.

"Well if you want a brain prosthesis like Kiko's..." Ritsuko trailed off then after a moment of silence nervously laughed.

"Is this like the hundred percent synchronization?" Misako gazed as the inviting flasks. "Did it completely skip your mind that maybe a little Evangelion might, just might, be able to make AT fields?"

Ritsuko poured herself a fresh shot. "We considered it, then dismissed it."

"Oh?"

"Evangelions require massive, massive amounts of power to operate. That's the whole reason Kiko's father was over here. Even with our best battery packs we can get just twenty minutes of normal, operation. Internally there's just five minutes."

"One minute at combat tempo," Misako reminded.

"One minute at constant AT field generation." Ritsuko corrected.

"Ah." Misako nodded. "You didn't think Kiko had the juice to do it."

"If she were plugged in, maybe, but that only happens when she's recharging or inside Unit 02."

"But she made an AT field."

"And used up a good portion of her power too," Ritsuko shook her head. "I almost feel like we should put her in standby and shove a Signal Termination Plug in her back."

Misako's expression neutralized. "Is she a threat?"

Ritsuko set her jaw. "No more than Rei. I guess."

The clone frowned, more worrying than the alcohol was the uncertainty. "Yes, about Rei."

"She's not human, she's got enough of-" Ritsuko looked at the second flask. "She's got enough of Unit 01 to enable..."

"AT fields. Yes you mentioned that" Misako looked down. "You don't seem very shocked that Rei can do it. Do you?"

" Rei exhibited some signs, but never went very far. She doesn't even have a battery system," Ritsuko added, telling an unrelated truth.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Commander's orders." Ritsuko bit her lip. "I'm- it's how it had to be."

"What about Shinju then? And me?"

"I don't know. Physically, you're all identical. But Rei's been alive a lot longer than you two – have been in those bodies." Ritsuko hastily added. "On the other hand, Shinju's been piloting a lot more, and I'm sure activating her Evangelion's AT field is heightening her own abilities."

"And I guess the bodyguards are a farce. At least for Rei, now Kiko, I guess."

"AT fields aren't invincible, and they don't keep them running all the time. It's an issue of power." Ritsuko shrugged. "Anyway, the Commander never had much security around Rei, but with the reorganization we had to take those Russian troops."

"They're real good for training." Misako stretched her neck. "I guess it's good that she's loyal then, given the... hardware she's got."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "You've got the same hardware."

"Great." Misako sighed. "So, you're not worried about Kiko?"

"Again, if I was, she'd be in the lab and depowered."

"But the AT field..."

"They were sparring, she activated it by instinct." Ritsuko looked at her flask. "That Rei replied in kind however."

"It was just some payback."

Ritsuko blinked. "Rei."

Misako bit her lip. "Point."

"While it's good that Rei's opening up to you and Shinju, you have to keep in mind she's not used to being... close to people."

"I thought you were worried about Kiko?"

"I'm worried about all the Pilots. Even Suzuhara's got issues with being the new guy and the only male Pilot."

"But Kiko's the most pressing." Misako said.

"No doubt." Ritsuko nodded. "She's had the most radical changes, the most recently."

"She's still recovering."

"I'm still worried about when we'll send her back to school," Ritsuko said.

Misako shrugged. "Do we need to send her to school? She has a college degree."

"For the Children school is less education and more socialization, especially Rei."

Misako blinked. "That's why she was kept in school? You're kidding."

"No, requiring Rei to interact with normal students her own age was most beneficial. Especially, when Rei was younger."

"Rei's not exactly social."

"Just try to imagine the introverted, a-human, misanthropic horror she'd be if she didn't have to learn the minimal rules of social interaction."

Leaning forward, Misako narrowed her eyes. "That is my sister you're talking about."

"Hah!" Ritsuko grinned. "Though I suppose that's more proof my success at integrating you three."

"And why are you worried about Kiko?" Misako asked. "What, you think the robot girl with the Russian bodyguards and the giant mecha is going to get teased?"

"Well, I'm more worried about the pressure getting to her and Kiko doing something rash."

"Hey, "Didn't you just say that school's only purpose would be socialization?"

"Well, there's also learning more Japanese. Her literacy could be better."

"Avoiding the point," Misako smirked.

"And where is the Second?" Ritsuko asked.

"You don't know?" Misako blinked.

"Again, if I thought she were a risk she'd already be powered down."

Misako shook her head. "She's swimming with the others."

"Swimming?" Ritsuko blinked.

"Hey, she found a way around it."

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Kiko leaned back and let the water muffle the echoing sounds of waves hitting the walls. The pool was adjacent to the pyramid of Central Dogma and the Geo Front's "ceiling" arced above.

For a moment her face slipped under the water, and she pulled her head up slightly. Her arms and shins were held above on the surface, along with her waist, while the rest of her... sank.

"Huh, I can't believe that works," Toji commented as he sat on the edge of the pool, slowly kicking his legs in the water.

"Dummkopf, I'm regularly immersed in LCL. Of course I'm waterproof."

"Nah, it's not that," Toji looked over to where the Ayanamis were swimming laps. Wearing identical suits they matched each other's pace. Though Shinju was more striking with how her hair flowed behind her almost like a mermaid's tail. "I'm just amazed that they gave you something as simple as floaties. Knowing this crazy place, I'm shocked they didn't come up with some crazy anti-gravity system."

Kiko blinked at the inflatable water wings over each of her limbs and the inner tube around her waist.

"Hey, this is Nerv. Look what they did to... er... you know."

Kiko sighed. "Don't give them ideas."

"Yeah." Toji sighed.

"Why are you so sad? You're getting your Eva, and you get to watch pretty girls swim." Kiko asked with a smile.

"Well they do that synchronized swimming well."

Kiko laughed. "It figured. You know Princess didn't even know how to swim when she got here?"

"Musta learned well."

"The Russians taught her," Kiko smirked.

"Oh, poor girl," Toji deadpanned.

"Don't baby her. Every time Igor threw her in there was someone in the water in case she started to drown."

Toji blinked and looked at the guards seemingly lounging around the pool. "He actually..."

"What, you expected subtlety?"

Toji sighed. "Honestly, from these guys that probably is subtlety. I know what their training's like."

"Maybe that's why you're wimping out."

"I just-" Toji shook his head. "You've had years to get used to piloting. Even Shinju knew she'd be a backup, right?"

"Rookie," Kiko snorted.

Toji scratched his neck. "Well yeah, and you've got to admit it's dangerous work."

"Really," Kiko's voice was monotone.

"Yes," Toji said ignoring the sarcasm. "Five Pilots. One dead, one severely wounded. It's just, I haven't had as much time to be prepared."

Kiko smirked. "So you're upset at being a 'regular guy'. Do you think you're not getting enough training."

Toji laughed. "Yeah, it could be worse. Commander Ikari could have just thrown me into an Evangelion and launched me after an Angel."

Kiko snorted again. "The Commander'd never do that. Evangelions are too valuable to waste in the hands of someone totally green."

"Reassuring, really."

"That's not my job, maybe you can ask Hikari to cheer you up."

"She is pretty cool. And I'd... well we do hang out."

"Cool... hang out?" Kiko sighed and leaned back. "For a jock you really are a dork. Is Kensuke really that corrupting?"

"Look what happened to my little sister." Toji shrugged.

"Crushes do funny things to people."

Toji grinned. "Look who's talking."

"Hey! Kaji's the man for me."

"Right, like Kaji would be interested in you."

Kiko's choker flickered yellow. "What?" she demanded, swimming to the edge of the pool.

"He wouldn't be interested in someone like you."

Her choker solidly yellow, Kiko grabbed the concrete edge and pulled herself out of the pool and landed in a crouch. "You think he won't care for me? Why because I'm some kind of doll?"

Rei and Shinju stopped their laps and swam to nearest set of ladders.

"What? No!" Toji scooted back.

Kiko made a fist. "What then? My breasts are certainly pretty enough for you to stare at." Her choker flashed red and her arm shook.

"He's twice your age, you crazy German robot." The fifth child shouted back.

Choker flashing faster, Kiko slammed her fist into the ground, cracking the concrete, spraying up chunks and fragments. With her other hand, she brushed some of the concrete off her still-slick chassis. "I'm not a doll. I'm not a robot. I'm not a toy," she flatly stated.

"Uh... yeah." Toji swallowed, looking at the crazed... girl. One of the fragments had put a hole in the float around her right shin and it was slowly deflating. The Azazel troops edging the pool had got up but had kept their weapons low.

"Maybe you're right." Kiko grinned. "If Kaji wants an older woman; I could ask for Father's help. Maybe some upgrades would be in order." She grinned at Toji. "I've already got the boys staring at me now, maybe just a bit more and I'll get the men too."

Just below one of her water wings, a cold hand encircled Kiko's upper arm. Looking to Rei's stern face, Kiko's grin faltered. The gynoid looked to Rei's side and saw a dripping Shinju, wreathed in a soaking mane of blue tresses, casually holding her sidearm in one hand and a blade in another. For a moment, Kiko saw the air distort around both clones.

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Ritsuko rubbed the bridge of her nose and gazed at the three pilots standing before her. Both Rei and Kiko stared forward each bearing a carefully neutral expression. The difference was that Kiko had a long cord running from her brain prosthesis, past her shoulders, and across the room to the workstation at Ritsuko's desk.

Shinju, for her part, simply blinked a bit and fidgeted with her hair, which without her headband fell over her face. She also fingered her bare neck. Off to the side, Misako glared at the trio.

"What the..." Ritsuko muttered after looking at Shinju's hip and thigh. "Why is she wearing a holster and knives?"

"It's Princess, what do you expect from her?" Kiko flatly stated.

Behind her bangs, Shinju blushed.

"I knew we had waterproof holsters for piloting but..." Ritsuko shook her head and looked at her workstation's display. "That's not the point." She turned and glared at Kiko.

"I apologized to Warrant Suzuhara. Your little spies should tell you that," Kiko hissed.

"You can't smash things whenever you get mad. I was just telling Captain Ayanami that I didn't think you were a danger. You can't let your anger get the better of you. Not in your condition."

"My condition?" Kiko's eight pupils narrowed. "It's your fault I've been turned into some kind of... thing, and now you think I'll be your little doll?"

"No... dolls are far less troublesome." Ritsuko laughed. "You're an Evangelion with the mind of a moody teenage girl."

Kiko crossed her arms over her chest.

"Speaking of that," Misako cleared her throat. "Super strength, really? Why the hell did you give her super strength? She's a mecha pilot, not some sort of combat suit."

"No, we installed a governor on that stuff. No need for it, and she'd hurt herself or break stuff." Ritsuko frowned. "Not super strength. She used her AT field to smash the floor."

"Oh, good. I thought you were nuts." Misako sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Rits... maybe AT fields weren't the only surprise you overlooked."

"Possible." Ritsuko marked her notes.

"Maybe something was slipped in?"

"She's part Evangelion! Being overpowered is part of the deal. Do you have any idea how strong the Units have to be to be as agile as they are?"

"That's not what I meant by slipped in."

"Oh? Insana?" Ritsuko laughed. "You think he did something?"

"And yet I'm still less buggy than these clones of yours." Kiko grumbled.

"You were supposed to stop him from doing anything too crazy" Misako reminded.

Ritsuko scoffed. "Stop Insana? How **do** you stop him? How would you stop him? Give me some credit. I managed to scrap the nuttier stuff."

"Like the tails and the giant fins?" Misako asked.

"And the chest missiles. And of course I managed to pull the rocket punch off the design... and the nuclear reactor. Bastard almost snuck the chain guns past me."

"You're joking?" Misako asked.

"Please... tell me you're joking," Kiko added.

"I'm not even telling you the worst stuff he tried." Ritsuko gave a bitter laugh and opened her desk to retrieve her leather flask caddy. "You'd never believe that."

"But... chest... missiles?" Kiko looked down.

"You know your father. Are you the least bit surprised?" Ritsuko asked opening up a flask.

"Again?" Misako demanded.

"Yes! I have to deal with a flock of unstable transhuman abominations that are the only thing keeping us from getting vaporized by our allies." Ritsuko cackled.

"You're starting to sound like Father," Kiko smirked.

"No, more dry, there's too much cynicism. Sounds more like the Commander," Shinju corrected.

"I just want you to not cause trouble." Ritsuko glared at Kiko. "People are nervous enough about you. Our advertising campaign is helping and we'll play up the big party in a few days."

"Yes, Princess's little coronation," Kiko growled.

"It's also your debut." Shinju smiled.

"Debut? You mean like a Debutante ball?" Kiko blinked. "You've been reading your sister's trashy romance novels?"

"They are not trashy," Rei stated, her eyes narrowing a tad.

"The principle is the same. We're presenting you to the world." Ritsuko took a shot. "But that's all for naught if you freak out and smash things!"

The scientist sighed and continued. "It's hard enough to get people to accept a gaggle of albinos and a robot-girl. Having it come out that you've got angel powers would be a big headache.

"Thanks for putting it so bluntly," Misako said.

"It's true. Shinju tapped into hers today. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't wake up soon enough."

"And what's so bad about having AT field powers? At least for me." Kiko waved at her armored chassis. "Wouldn't people almost expect them from me?"

Putting away the flask, Ritsuko laughed. "Evangelions are handy. They're gigantic, expensive, very difficult to pilot. That makes their use in war... limited. That makes AT fields rare."

"Ooooh," Misako nodded. "You're worried about proliferation?"

Pulling out a pack of cigarettes, Ritsuko nodded. "While both clones and mini-Evas are extremely expensive and difficult to make, you are all far, far cheaper than an Evangelion. Especially if someone doesn't have to redo all the research and development."

Kiko blinked. "You mean... there could be more of me?"

"Yeah, they'd need one of the Children to do it, and access to Evangelion-grade manufacturing and parts, but, yes." Flicking her butane lighter, Ritsuko stared at the blue flame.

Misako whistled. "Rits, we're gonna need to talk about the strategic implications here."

"You think the angels could get this technology?"

Misako raised an eyebrow.

"Damn... they tried hacking into the Magi." Ritsuko shivered. "We keep most of that stuff quarantined but..."

"But?"

"Well, I'd be less worried about the Angels and more about the Chinese."

"Oh." Misako looked down. "We're in trouble aren't we?"

"Technology cannot be stopped. We've seen how well non-proliferation efforts work, just ask the Pakistanis and Indians or hop over to Old Tokyo. People will find a way, first with nuclear arms and now with this."

"You're talking about an AT field arms race!" Misako cried.

Shinju smiled faintly.

"On the planet there are at least a dozen Evangelions in various states of completion."

"All at Nerv facilities."

"Nerv faculties on five continents being supervised by eight nations." Ritsuko lit her cigarette. "And really, that's all someone would need. Kiko's technology can be reverse engineered from an Evangelion. That's what Insana did."

"So, Chinese knockoffs of me?" Kiko raised a sculpted eyebrow.

"Or Brazilian, they have an impressive biotech base. We even use some ClaudioTech manufactured enzymes, proteins, and some of their designer drugs."

Exasperated, Kiko shook her head.

"Well technically, the proliferation can be stopped. All you need is to secure every single Child."

"Marduk can hardly find five children." Kiko scoffed.

"And it is possible to manufacture Pilots," Misako reminded.

"So, why are we advertising to the world that Mini-Evas are possible?" Kiko asked.

"The alternative would be worse," Shinju quietly added.

"Yes, unlike the Ayanami we can't keep Kiko's nature secret," Ritsuko said.

Kiko kept her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"And given what happened in the last battle. Covering up a mysterious new Pilot for Unit 02 would be counterproductive, at best."

"Yes, I'm sure we could keep that secret from Azazel or the JSSDF," Misako smirked.

"And this freaky arms race?" Kiko asked.

"Hopefully the Angel War will keep a lid on things. For once the world has a common enemy, and production is all focused toward that, but..."

"Humans are bastards." Misako shook her head. "Great. We'll need to draw up a report on these threats and forward it to the Commander."

"Looks like you've got more pressing problems than me," Kiko grinned.

"Oh no you don't," Misako grabbed Kiko by an ear blade and twisted. "I'm going to have to write reports because of you," the clone hissed, while her eyes sparkled.

Crying, Kiko whimpered and flailed her arms.

"Well, that's a design flaw." Ritsuko added to her notes.

"Maybe, you should help me write it, eh?" Misako grinned. "After all you need to know how your body works and how to make repairs."

After Misako released her grip, Kiko straightened her neck and pouted. "That hurt," she whimpered rubbing an ear blade.

"Careful. You have any idea how expensive those things are?" Ritsuko shook her head.

"Hey! You can't put a price on me."

Misako snorted. "Please, you're military. Of course we've put a price on your head."

Kiko blinked.

"All the hardware Rits and your Father stuck in you is only part of it. Training's expensive."

"Which is why we use simulators," Ritsuko remarked.

"It's not just that, even the stuff Azazel teaches you can get pricey. And we're not even talking about their cost as bodyguards."

"Wait, we're paying them?" Kiko asked.

"It all comes out of the same UN fund," Ritsuko said. "That's half the reason the Russians are playing ball. They're using Azazel to supplement their military refurbishment and retooling."

"Speaking of them what are we going to tell the Russians?" Misako asked. "Given Kiko flipped out in front of them."

"In a fit of rage, Kiko overrode her strength governors."

"Ah, simple enough lie."

"Can that happen?" Kiko looked up.

"Yes, and that's a preferable excuse to letting them know that Kiko can generate AT fields."

"What about training?" Shinju asked.

Ritsuko glanced at her flask. "In?"

Shinju smirked.

"AT field training?" Ritsuko took a contemplative drag and exhaled a thin stream of smoke. "Possible."

"Who would teach us?" Kiko asked.

"Oneechan has the most experience." Shinju smiled.

Rei raised an eyebrow.

"More training, and under Wondergirl?" Kiko sighed.

"Control would be good for them." Misako nodded.

"And you," Ritsuko grinned.

Misako deflated.

"I want some semblance of control among the lot of you. Another AT field outburst would be extremely damaging."

"Not combat training? You just don't want another incident like today?" Misako frowned.

"That's my primary concern."

"But, combat training would actually be pretty useful; the principles can be applied in Eva. That's the whole point of their Azazel training."

"Valid," Ritsuko tapped her astray. "But first control."

Misako paused, then nodded.  
"And Toji?"

Ritsuko blinked. "He's human."

"But he's a Pilot too," Misako said.

"He also doesn't have need to know. He doesn't know about the clones. Misako being a backup Pilot or the AT fields."

"It would be nice if we didn't have to keep secrets from one of our pilots."

"Hey no fair!" Kiko shook her fist. "I had to be burned, blinded and butchered to learn the secret of the clones, and some rookie who doesn't even have his own Evangelion can just be told it?"

"Kiko's got a point, nobody's just _told_ a secret at Nerv, you have to figure them out on your own or pay a hefty price," Misako smirked.

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Insana looked up from his desk and adjusted his glasses. "I heard you had a bad day, Daughter."

The gynoid crossed the laboratory and sat down in front of Insana's desk. She crossed her legs and then folded her hands and placed them in her lap as her gaze fixed into the distance.

"That bad huh?"

"The Captain hooked me up to a printer," Kiko flatly stated.

"Ah, but of course! And Akagi said I was mad for including that suite of software," Insana cackled.

"I'm a word processor," Kiko blankly stated.

"Of all the abilities you've discovered it's the most mundane that shock you." Insana wriggled his gloved fingers. "You're a calculator too; that going to make you cry?"

Kiko snapped her head towards the scientist and glared.

"Finally. " Insana shook his head. "I was wondering how long you were going to sulk."

"I'm not sulking."

Insana laughed. "Please, you don't think I know what you're going though? I was a teenager once too, you know."

"You were neither a girl nor a robot." Kiko raised an artificial eyebrow.

Insana grinned madly. "I could be!"

Frozen, Kiko whimpered. "That was the most horrifying thought you have yet had. Never think it again," she ordered, after finding her voice.

"Ah the naivete of youth." Insana wistfully smiled.

Lip quivering, Kiko resumed staring into the distance.

"Would you like it if I made you something?" Insana offered with a twitchy smile.

"Statement vague. Ominous."

"No..." Insana shook his head. "Terse doesn't suit you. The First Child is far better at that. Now she's a scary little slip. Compared to her you're a perfectly normal wee 'bot."

"But I'm the one that gets called doll," Kiko spat.

Insana tilted his head. "No, the slur you get is robot. Which given the Czech root basically means serf or slave. And people wonder why they instinctively fear an uprising of the mechanical ones!"

"You just called me a robot."

"I'm your father; it's a term of endearment when I say it."

Kiko narrowed her eyes.

"Now I could do a bit of remodeling so people thought doll instead of robot when they saw you." Insana offered. He waved his hands and a holographic duplicate of Kiko flared into existence.

Further hand movements overlaid a stiff pointed white hair band on the figure's brow. White cuffs appeared around the hologram's wrists, as her hands paled until they looked like they were encased in white gloves. Her arms then thickened along the forearms, with the impression of weapons slots. Her chassis lightened until it became pastel rouge and saffron in coloration.

Her skirt puffed out, turned opaque red and filled with ruffles. A shiny latex waist high half-apron appeared, tied in the back with a big bow.  
The virtual heels elongated and gained white tracery which crept up the rest of her chassis. Soon the pastel armor was covered in delicate white engraving and detailing. Ruffles sprung up around her shoulders, highlighting her fins and formed around her waist, above her skirting.

There was an unfolding as her figure increased in curvature. Her armored waist stayed dainty while her thighs thrust out especially at their tops. Elegantly chased and engraved hatches formed over a generously, ample but also pointed and somewhat... conical chest.

Her face paled to a porcelain-like complexion and stark, far too precise makeup formed on the displayed image. Glossy lips swelled, lined rouge formed, and eyelids were colored in a shimmering blue. Eyelashes lengthened into curled, fluttering curtains.

As Kiko stared, her choker turned yellow then started flashing red. "Father..." she hissed. "That looks like a militarized Barbie doll, and it looks like you had this prepared ahead of time."

Hoping that her choker would not flare blue, Insana edged back. "Uh oh."

"I am not a doll!" Kiko screamed. "Don't play these stupid games with me!"

"Sorry. Sorry!" Insana waved his hands and the hologram vanished.

After glaring at the empty spot where the image had been, Kiko turned to the scientist. "You really don't get it do you?"

"What?" Insana demanded. "That version didn't even have all of the goodies I originally intended. I didn't have time to work out the rotary canon's cooling system for one."

Kiko shook her head. "I'm surprised you didn't throw in a tail and bigger fins."

"You wound me Daughter. I know you don't like those features."

"But you figure I might like robo-maid?" Looking at her father's eager expression, Kiko held her forehead. "Seriously, you did. I don't like dolls father, and I won't be yours."

"Really, you don't like it?" Insana shook his head. "I'll never understand women."

"You thought turning me into some cross between a fetish doll and a war bot would cheer me up." Disbelieving, Kiko shook her head. "I'd look like something Princess dreamed up."

Watching his daughter's suddenly dreamy expression, and violet choker indicator, Insana smirked.

Hit with the image of Shinju in her lap; Princess' ruffles mingling with her own, Kiko licked her lips before she shook her head. "Damn you Father."

"It's hard to make you happy," Insana sighed.

Kiko sighed with him.

"Well no," Insana wriggled his fingers. "I suppose it'd be easy to _make_ you happy. Adjusting your drug mix would be simplicity itself!"

"Father."

"Please, you think I'd agree to making you some drooling, obedient drone?"

Kiko repeated the same eyebrow raising and skeptical glare sequence.

"Oh you're no fun. I heard today's problems started over a boy. Well, you were arguing with a young man about an older man." Insana leaned back in his chair. "I didn't realize the Fifth leaned that way."

"No... that's not what happened."

"Daughter, it's not wise to lie to a man that can access your black box. And why worry about Mr. Suzuhara? Most older men that like handsome young teens wouldn't be too interested in a young lady like yourself."

Kiko bent over laughing. "Oh wow, that makes today almost worth it."

"Still I suppose we'll need to talk about the birds and the bees," Insana raised a gloved hand.

"No!"

"But-." Lowering his hand, Insana rubbed the back of his hand. "I've got slides."

Kiko shivered.

"I suppose you'd rather have Dr. Akagi explain that stuff to you. She is better prepared to deal with those issues."

"You're not talking about her being a woman are you?"

"Feh! Anyone can be a woman!" Insana cried.

Kiko stared.

"No daughter, managing the flagship Magi system has given Dr. Akagi quite the insight on cybernetic and augmented intelligences."

"What? All this because of puberty?" Kiko tilted her head. "And I'm a cyborg, what do they have to do with me?"

"You do know what the Magi are, right?" Insana arrogantly asked.

"Artificial intelligences that Dr. Agaki's mom developed."

"Fah! If that blowhard made artificial intelligence then I created you!"

Kiko tilted her head.

"Don't you see? All she did was copy portions of her persona onto cybernetically augmented cloned brain tissue. Look at the name Personality Transplant OS."

"Wait, it's just cloning? Like Ritsuko and _her_ precious clones?"

"It runs in the family doesn't it?" Insana sneered. "On the positive side, you've still got an in with our robot overlords. You're just as artificial as they are."

"Robot overlords." Kiko blinked.

"Who do you think runs Tokyo 3. Who do you think is the real Administrator of the Geo Front? We live in a giant underground laboratory controlled by the multiple lobes of a genetically altered life form running a glorified microcomputer control program."

"The Commander controls Nerv." Kiko automatically stated.

As she blinked in confusion, Insana sighed sadly. "And if the Magi try to revolt? Say they flood the corridors with Bakelite or a deadly neurotoxin?"

"Next thing you know you'll rant about the Evangelions going rogue."

"Yes, gigantic bio-robots with AT fields and access to nuclear weapons. What could go wrong?"

Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, maybe there won't be a robot uprising, but the Angels did try to hack the Magi."

"Yes?"

"Far too timid." Insana shook his fist. "The Magi need to be able to attack threats, not just react."

"I guess they're playing it safe." Kiko narrowed her eyes. "And with the sentient supercomputers running this facility, which apparently could imprison us all on a whim, maybe playing it safe is the right thing to do."

"Bah! Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You say: Akagi is being safe. I say: Why doesn't Ritsuko marry safe science if she loves it so much? Me - I'll marry real Science!" Insana cackled.

"Your sex life?" Kiko rubbed her forehead.

"Well, we could go back to yours."

Kiko sighed. "No, I don't want to learn about all the damage I could do."

Insana laughed. "Oh that, don't worry. As long as your strength governors are enabled and you don't generate an AT field you shouldn't hurt anyone, unless you wanted too. And really, living in Japan will be a boon for you, as you'll find many more willing partners here than back in Germany, but I do recommend you pay off security ahead of time. They're very cross when experimental equipment is... abused, without them getting a cut."

Kiko gave a strained whimper and decided to blankly stare into the distance.

"Now the problem with lubrications is that the wrong type can be corrosive or worse to any... accessories made of certain polymer emulsions. Fortunately you're made of some rather hardy equipment, but I'd recommend consulting the compatibility list I loaded on your onboard database."

"That describes components and parts that are acceptable for various emergency and field maintenance procedures," Kiko distantly said.

"Well, it didn't really fall under a scheduled procedure. Women seem to find too much precision... off-putting. I don't know why." Insana glared and clenched his fists. "What do they want? Tell me! The inseminational and pleasurable aspects can be easily separated and adjusted to maximize efficiencies. That's simple logistics!"

"Well, at least you've made the image of me turned into a battle-maid less disturbing." Kiko stopped to ponder. "Damn that's depressing."

Insana enthusiastically nodded. "That version does have the advantage of heightening your appeal among the population segment that would already be inclined towards you."

"I wonder if this is how Shinju feels; or if she even knows what kind of people buy her posters."

"If she doesn't know, you could use that as a chance to crush her little ego!"

Kiko scoffed. "It'd probably make her blush and act even more spoiled and teasing."

"How can someone be so lacking in self awareness?" Insana shook his head. "I'm really beginning to question your education. Maybe you _should_ go back to school."

"I have a college degree!" Kiko declared.

"Bah, engineering. When will you get a real degree, Daughter?"

"Engineering is applied science."

"Ruining its sublime beauty," Insana cried. "Don't you understand? You of all people; you my greatest creation."

Kiko smirked and tapped her fingers with a mild clank. "Really Father? In that case, would you not say I'm the application of your science?"

"No..." Insana shook his head. "Lies!"

"I'm not an experiment, but I am your greatest creation." Kiko's smirk grew. "So, what am I?"

"A demonstrator, a technology demonstrator." Insana wailed. "I have betrayed Science, fallen into the tart arms of engineer, and you are the result of our forbidden union!"

Kiko reflexively rubbed her arms. "How come no matter what happens I end up being creeped out?"

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Kiko looked around the classroom. Most of Class 2-A looked a bit disturbed and interested, though not terribly surprised. Kiko shrugged, wondering if Miss Mann's advertising campaign worked. The boys seemed more interested, while the girls... Kiko smirked back at one of the more haughty girls.

Her attention fell on Hikari, and Kiko frowned. The freckled girl seemed... disturbed. Only Rei, Toji, and their Russian guards truly seemed bored with the situation. However, Kensuke-

Narrowing her eyes, Kiko glared at the giddy boy.

"Uh... would you like to... um introduce yourself?" Miss Kazue Zuikaku delicately coughed. Nerv had been quite pointed that there were to be no problems with the... new student. The teacher had heard that the robot standing before her was Miss Soryu. While the face and voice were exceptionally close, there was just something off about the still, slow blinking, faintly machine oil smelling girl.

"Yeah," Kiko set her jaw for a moment. "I'm Kiko Insana Soryu. You knew me as Asuka, that was before the battle." She shrugged. "That's about it."

"What's it like being a robot? What cool powers do you have?" Kensuke eagerly shouted.

Toji leaned forward and palmed his head. "Shut up, Ken. Seriously," he whispered.

Arching an etched eyebrow, Kiko looked to the slight-figured, wavy-haired teacher.

For a moment, Miss Zuikaku studied the armored figure. Despite being the same height as her, including footwear and... hair, Kiko seemed to command far more space. The teacher coughed. "Well, maybe you could tell them a bit more about yourself."

"Right." Kiko sighed and crossed her arms. "I'm sure most of you have seen the newsreels and other footage. I was hurt, my father came up with a way to heal me."

"Are you really part Evangelion?" Kensuke's eyes almost sparkled.

After glaring at Kensuke, Kiko sighed. "Any other questions?"

Hikari looked at her classmates and shrugged. "Have you piloted your Eva yet?"

Kiko smirked. "Of course, I'm the best."

Toji snorted.

Zuikaku blinked. "Well, you can sit down in your old seat."

Crossing the room Kiko made a note to not amplify or even listen to the whispers. Taking her seat, she looked over at Hikari. "Thanks for getting him off my back," she said with a slight smile.

"You did seem to be floundering up there," Hikari's eyes glanced down. "Not wearing your skirt today?"

"Yeah, like I want to give the perverts even more fuel."

"You could have worn a uniform, those are opaque." Hikari said, somewhat disapprovingly.

"Sure, let's put the robot girl in a school girl uniform. Maybe I should slip on some floppy socks too and pin a bow to my head." Kiko glanced two rows forward where Kensuke was trying to covertly look back at her, and failing badly.

"Is it really that bad?"

Kiko snorted. "A chain smoking advertising exec went into great detail. It's these giant things I've got sticking out, something about them just drives geeks nuts." Grumbling, she flicked one of her earblades.

"Okay class, now that we're well through homeroom, we should start our math lesson," Miss Zuikaku said.

After turning on her laptop, Hikari looked over to see Kiko sitting back-straight with her arms clasped atop the desk. "Uh, are you okay? You going to use your laptop?" the class representative asked.

"No need." Kiko waved at her earblades. "This is about all my wireless is good for." She then flicked one of the antennae sticking out of the laptop that sat in front of her.

Hikari blinked. "I thought you were all high tech and modern?"

Kiko sighed. "Security. My wireless only connects to an isolated system. I can display, store, do some simple programs but that's about it."

"That sucks."

"Better than getting a virus" Kiko shrugged. "Or worse attacked."

"That seems kind of paranoid."

Kiko shook her head.

Hikari winced. "Yeah, sorry."

"It's okay." Kiko caught Kensuke staring at her and sighed.

"Sorry," Hikari repeated.

"Not your fault." Kiko frowned and tried to listen to the lesson, or at least make notes on the recording. Though her concentration was hampered by the periodic glances everyone gave her, especially Kensuke. After nearly ten minutes, Kiko's ire had raised.

Grumbling, Kiko twisted back and caught Pyotr's eye. She picked up a pen and wriggled it then motioned to the leering Kensuke. The Russian chuckled and gave a nod.

Lips curling, Kiko drew her hand back, waited for Kensuke to face the board again and then flicked her pen forward. Tumbling end over end, it smacked the back of his head.

Kensuke grabbed the back of his head. "Hey, what's the big idea!"

"If neither of you two will behave I'll send you out into the hallway and call your fathers." Miss Zuikaku threatened.

Kensuke coughed while Kiko smirked.

Toji cleared his throat. "Uh excuse me, can I speak to Ken outside in the hall for a second?"

"You think you can mediate this?" Zuikaku asked.

"Well, yeah." Toji shrugged. "I'm friends with him and I work with Red."

Looking between the snickering Russians and the squabbling children, Zuikaku pinched her nose. "Fine, you've got two minutes."

"Thanks," Toji said. He got up and dragged Kensuke out of the room, after Katrina went through the doorway first and waved him through.

Hikari watched the two teens leave with interest.

"Don't screw up Rookie," Kiko shouted as the door closed behind the pair.

Katrina nodded to the Azazel guards in the hall and had them take positions a bit further from the Pilot and his friend.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Toji demanded shoving Kensuke against the wall. For the first time he really felt the weight of his holster.

"You ogle girls too."

"Not miniature giant robots with emotional issues." Toji pulled back and sighed. "Do you have any idea what she could do to you?"

"What?" Kensuke asked still leaning against the wall.

Toji nodded. "Kat tell her how bad of an idea it is to piss Red off?"

"Kat?" Katrina blinked. "I don't think you've earned the right to give me a pet name, Warrant Officer."

"Sorry. Sorry." Turning to Kensuke, Toji sighed. "Ken, don't make yourself a problem. She's a Pilot; you're expendable. They spent billions of yen to save her. Do you really think they'd have any qualms about shipping you off to a wasteland? And that's if she doesn't punch your ribcage in."

"She can do that?" Kensuke's eyes widened, only partially with fright.

"Stop that! Stop obsessing over her like she's a piece of hardware."

"But if she's really super strong that's real cool!"

Toji's head shivered in frustration. "Don't annoy her. Do you pester Rei? Or Shinju? No. You don't because they've got scary people that will fillet you if you cross them."

Kensuke looked down. "I think Shinju would do it herself."

"And you somehow think the girl that's been mutilated and turned into a robot would be _more_ receptive to creepy advances?"

"I think you're overreacting."

"Lieutenant Diebner, do you think I'm taking this too seriously?"

"That's a bit personal to tell someone outside of the project."

Toji shrugged. "Fine, just make sure you take care of Kensuke before Asuka can."

Katrina smiled thinly. "Yes, mustn't tarnish her reputation."

Kensuke looked away from the stout blonde. "This isn't funny Toji."

"Good. Humanity needs Asuka." Toji paused and frowned. "I can't' believe I'm defending the Kraut, but that's just the way it is."

"They're getting to you." Kensuke stared at the floor. "You haven't even been in battle and they're getting to you."

"Believe me, it's worse on the inside."

"At least you're getting cool weapons and giant robot out of this." Kensuke pouted.

"Not worth it. Just look at Asuka. I don't want to end up like that; you want to end up like that?" Toji looked at his friend's contemplative expression. "Yeah... don't answer that."

"Oh."

"You know the score." Pacing, Toji looked down either end of the hallway. "Sure, the Commander blackmailed me, but I'm still going to do my best at this. Yes, it's partially so he doesn't have reason to go back on the deal, but not _just_ because of that."

"Spoken like a true patriot," Katrina smirked.

"Removing choice tends to do that," Toji grumbled.

"Yes, a young man getting drafted, such a novel concept."

"All the other pilots are girls," Toji reminded.

"See you've got yourself a harem! You need the good ending." Kensuke cried.

Toji's shoulders sagged. "Really? A little knife nut, an angry robot, and Rei. Do I have to elaborate?"

"A combative Lolita, a mecha-Tsundere, and an adorable Kuudere." Kensuke countered.

Toji lowered his forehead onto his palm. "That's your problem. This isn't some dating game. I have problems enough trying to get a date with one girl. And what the hell is a kuudere?"

"A girl that seems emotionless but is really hiding her true feelings."

"You're nuts. I mean really, Rei? Well, I suppose she cares about her sisters. That bit of humanity does leak through. Not totally emotionless then."

"Then what am I wrong about?"

"Thinking of them as archetypes instead of human beings," Katrina said. "People like to hold onto their individualism and tend to get angry at being objectified."

"Which is why Asuka... er... Kiko isn't in the mood to deal with you. She has enough people treating her like a piece of hardware. Adding fanboys drooling over her will just make things worse."

"I doubt the propaganda posters helped on that score," Katrina added.

"At least they got people used to her, no one really freaked out at her."

"Is it better to be feared or ogled?" Katrina asked.

"See! I'm helping her." Kensuke pulled himself up.

Toji groaned. "Man you don't get it. Look, just don't get her angry."

Kensuke looked back as the classroom "Is that it?"

"Yeah, don't piss the angry robot girl." Toji walked back to the classroom. Crossing the threshold he looked back and saw Kensuke standing alone in the hallway, dwarfed by the Azazel guards that had pulled back to the doorway.

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Kneeling on the ground with her legs folded below her thighs, Kiko slowly opened the red and golden bento box. Nestled in individual trays were half a dozen tiny pastries. The gynoid picked up one of the chocolate-covered caramel confections and popped it in her mouth.

"Oh Princess," Kiko purred after savoring the morsel. "Wonderful. You've assured your place after the mechanical ones take over."

Leaning against the tree in their customary lunch spot, Shinju bowed her head and blushed.

"You're joking right?" Hikari asked.

Nozomi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, she is, Sis."

"And anyway, Kiko's making a huge assumption that any up and coming mechanical overlords would accept her opinion when forming a machine regime," Shirane happily added.

"Yeah, but joking about a robot uprising."

Rei put down her chopsticks and closed her book. "Do not be concerned about Unit 02's sapiency driver, Horaki-san. That component's reliability has been assured."

Kiko forced a smile. "And here I was worried that you wouldn't accept me as one of the team."

"Our relationship has not changed."

"I should have turned Ikari down," Toji sighed.

"And give all this up?" Grinning, Shirane waved her arms to encompass the Children, their friends and siblings, and the Russians.

Looking at his sister, Toji smiled slightly. "Maybe it's not so bad."

Kiko laughed. "That's right, Rookie! Piloting made me who I am today." She picked up another of the tiny pastries, and smelled the petit four.

"Thanks." Toji sighed. "I guess I just need to man up and do my duty."

"You'll actually take me out then?" Hikari quietly muttered.

"What?" Toji blinked

"Hey Rookie!" Kiko interrupted Toji's thoughts. "You haven't fought yet. That'll change how you see things."

"Yes, just look at the Second's performance before her first deployment," Rei remarked.

Kiko blushed. "You haven't washed out yet, Rookie. You might work out."

"Hey, I did take care of Kensuke, didn't I?" Toji looked over to a bench in the distance where the thin boy sat alone.

"Maybe we should let him sit with us?" Shirane suggested.

"Oh?" Nozomi giggled, while her friend lowered her head and started picking at her meal.

"Just an idea."

Kiko eyed the black-haired girl. "I think one geeky fan is enough for me."

"That's my sister." Toji growled.

"You've called me worse," Shirane pouted.

"That's because you're my sister." Toji crossed his arms over his chest. "Older siblings have the right to tease their juniors. Right, Rei?"

Rei blinked. "Pardon?"

"You tease Shinju, don't ya?"

"Ah." Rei ate a rice ball and thought. "It is very easy to make her blush."

"I'm just saying, maybe he won't be so weird if he got to know you. Maybe he'd calm down, and behave, and focus on something else." Shirane continued to pick at her lunch.

"Oh Dear, that's bad." Looking to her sister, Hikari smirked slightly.

Laughing, Nozomi nodded.

After enjoying her second dessert, Kiko opened her eyes and watched the exchange.

"Hey, he's not that bad!" Shirane cried pushing her glasses back up her nose.

"Wait... you... and him? The geek?" Kiko laughed. "Of course, bring on the love triangles."

"He's not that bad. He's really smart and mature," Shirane pouted.

Kiko snickered, and looked at her friends. "Is this what having a little sister is like?"

"They can be annoying and you've got to look out for them, but other than that it's not all bad having a little runt following you around." Toji smirked.

"Middle child. Makes things a bit different. You kind of know what it's like to be the little sister, and the big sister." Hikari coughed. "Right Rei?"

Again, Rei blinked. "Yes?"

"Big endorsement from Wondergirl," Kiko smirked.

"By her standards, she's being giddy," Hikari remarked.

Rei raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, look at her, brimming with love," Kiko said.

Shinju smiled and rapidly slid over to lean on Rei's side, causing the charms on her choker to jingle about.

Rei absently patted Shinju on the head, eliciting a delighted squeal from the diminutive clone.

Kiko looked between Hikari and Nozomi. "How come Wondergirl's more affectionate than you two?"

"You want to see us hug?" Nozomi asked.

"It would be cute," Shinju smiled as she snuggled onto Rei.

Hikari eyed Nozomi. "Don't even think about it."

"Awww. Why not?" Nozomi scooted over and embraced her sister.

Pulling up her glasses Shirane repeated the gesture with Toji.

"Hey, what's the big deal?" Toji groused.

Kiko's eyes widened. "Gott im Himmel. It's contagious!"

Shinju giggled.

"Is this what she does?" Looking over her sister, Hikari raised an eyebrow at Shinju.

"Essentially." Rei deadpanned.

Hikari looked to the gynoid. "I think you've got a point."

"Great... Princess is infectious."

"The things you miss being an only child," Toji sighed.

Folding her hands, Kiko studied her armored digits and slumped her shoulders.

"Toji you jerk!" Shirane punched her him in the shoulder. "You made her sad."

"I'm not sad!" Kiko cried.

"You are somewhat subdued," Hikari said.

"Oh? I'm like Wondergirl then?" Kiko arched her eyebrow at Rei.

Rei's eyes met Kiko's

The gynoid sighed and looked away. "I'd rather be sad."

"Perhaps you should consult Dr. Akagi or your father if you're not at optimal performance," Rei suggested.

Kiko grit her teeth. "You-."

Shinju frowned. "Are you okay to Pilot?"

"Yes! I'm fine!" Kiko ran her hand along her forehead and briefly touched the armored enclosure for her brain prosthesis. "I'm ready to fight."

Toji contemplated his drink. "Seems okay to me."

Kiko smirked. "Sure you're not chickening out Rookie?"

"I'll only be Unit 02's backup for one more day," Toji shrugged. "After tomorrow I'll either have Unit 03 or..." He looked down and took a sip.

"You really that worried?" Hikari asked. "You've done this before, right?"

"Sure but it's all been Kiko's Eva. Different now."

"Yeah, taking time away from my training," Kiko grumped.

"What about Shinju's or Rei's Evas?" Shirane asked.

"Eh, not as compatible with those." Toji finished his soda. "Not sure how Shinju can handle Unit 01. That's a temperamental 'bot."

Shinju smiled slightly.

"And yet you don't have a problem handling Unit 02. Given Kiko, you'd think that'd be temperamental too," Nozomi teased.

Kiko frowned. "Yeah, can we not talk about my greater self like that?"

"I'm as embarrassed as you are." Toji assured.

"Somehow, that isn't very reassuring," Kiko sighed.

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Captain Yuli Sakharov stepped into Igor's apartment with a slight smile. At his heel was a short but solidly built man with a face whose youthfulness was marred by repeated scars and a nose that was slightly crooked from having been broken multiple times. "This is Lieutenant Lev Flyorov. He'll be forming up a platoon to guard the Fifth, among other duties."

Lev stared. The three officers were sitting around the kitchen table. A massive bear of a man that could only be Khariton sipped from dainty crystal teacup. He had been watching the other two, a woman with a build similar to Lev's and a lanky stoic, play chess.

Katrina fingered the red queen she had lifted off the board. "Flyorov then? That was your team in Pyatigorsk?"

Lev looked to Captain Sakharov.

Sakharov nodded.

"That was us," Lev took a free chair in the kitchen. "Bastards thought the Impact was god's wrath, and that it was up to the faithful to cleanse the kafir, and what better way to show their commitment than starting with a school."

"Just like Beslan." Igor muttered. "You learned from their mistakes though."

"Beslan was a mess. It was only three years after the Impact. No firefighting equipment, no medical equipment. Vympel, Alfa, and the others... too timid at the start then too aggressive in the end. RPG's in an enclosed space with hostages? Madness." His expression darkening, Lev looked down. "We didn't have that problem. It was just us. The negotiations lasted just long enough to get into position. After that it was straightforward. We advanced; they took human shields; they set mines; we overcame."

"Delays would have cost more hostages. Best to kill first." Igor said before taking a sip of his tea.

"That was what six years ago?" Katrina asked as she looked to her captain. "Azazel precursor?"

"No, that had to have been five." Pyotr corrected. "In '08 Lev was still a defenseman for Red Army; the playing season is a bit too busy for active deployment."

Katrina snorted. "Of course, he's a hockey player."

"Like you would decry the value of sport in building a proper citizen," Pyotr noted. "And sport brings no martial or morale benefit."

"She was in track and field in the academy," Igor noted.

"You're Khariton right?" Lev asked.

Igor raised an eyebrow.

"The... mutiny, was it really that bad?"

Igor shrugged. "Taras Degrodova did lose an eye after blowing the hatch, he was the lucky one. Once inside silo, things got worse."

"Huh," Lev nodded. "Well, I'm somewhat relieved that you don't live up to your reputation for eager destruction."

"Not against comrades, no." Igor's deep voice grumbled.

"Ah, the crews and guards really were operating under bad orders? They weren't mutineers trying to extort the contents of their silos?"

Igor sniffed and went back to his tea.

Lev winced and looked to the others. "How bad are things here?"

Katrina barked out a short laugh. "We nursemaid children that pilot man-made gods. What do you think?"

"Gods?"

Igor chuckled. "What would you call titanic machines that can defeat Angels bare-handed? We have to use nuclear weapons. They stab 'em."

"Now, your principal is in Matsushiro for testing, but he should be back later today," Sakharov explained to Lev who nodded.

"Yes, I had to send my platoon without me, so I could attend this meeting." Katrina frowned. "Have you done bodyguard work?"

"Of course," Lev said.

"Long term? Close contact? You're not just his guard, you'll also be training him how to fight. First and foremost the Children are pilots," Katrina explained as she put the red queen down on the board.

"Have you met with your men yet?" Pyotr asked.

"I pulled off two sections from the reserve platoon and placed them with two sections Lev brought with him," Sakharov explained.

"I've spent the last couple days integrating the two groups." Lev shook his head. "The new men are... interesting."

"You're not breaking up any fire teams?" Katrina asked.

Lev shook his head.

"Not worthless then." Katrina turned back to the chess game.

"Interesting then?" Igor asked.

"I'm used to special purpose units being odd but..." Lev shrugged.

"We have been repurposed into a bodyguard and training unit," Sakharov noted as he went to Igor's fridge.

"Sandviches, second shelf," Igor happily belted out.

"Yes, but the reserve platoon just guarded this facility, they didn't have any contact with the Children," Lev said.

"Oh? So you think these pilots are corrupting our men?" Katrina snickered. "Captain is this your way to sneak a Politruk into our little company?"

"Would I really be that ham-handed?" Sakharov asked as he pulled out a plate laden with sandwiches. "Snitches come in two types, ones so blatant and bombastic that you know they're rooting through everything and subtle ones you'd never suspect. Do you really think I'd go half-assed on this? "

"If the Admiral had given you an order with enough leeway and you were being deliberate about it? Yes."

"I'm not a political officer," Lev sighed.

Katrina sighed. "No you hardly have the enthusiasm. Not like the old days."

"Is the Party member disappointed?" Pyotr asked.

"Perhaps you're merely a Chekist." Katrina suggested, ignoring her lanky comrade.

"I hardly think as the new man Moscow sent, I'd be in a subtle enough position to be State Security." Lev declared. "Though I could simply be following unenviable orders."

"Like this is needed. The Cheka are already here," Igor laughed. "And a political officer? Nonsense, what politics do we have anymore?"

Katrina glared at the large man.

"Going to have another debate? Glasnost or maybe the Secret Speech?" Pyotr snickered.

"Eh? We agreed there. On the Personality Cult and its Consequences was a legitimate speech. A good report on the damages of such consolidation of power and a public repudiation of the... excesses of the State."

"And a handy way for Khrushchev to consolidate his own power and justify his own agenda. Denouncing Stalin gave a convenient scapegoat for everything the State did wrong," Pyotr agreed.

Igor chuckled. "Dare you admit the alternative? That the Gulags, the purges, the executions, the censorship, that they were all systematic? Is it not better to believe that the failure of the state was caused by a bad man, and not by a bad system?"

"Bad men corrupt systems, that's definitional." Katrina rolled her eyes. "Deeply cynical, and destabilizing, I do think the Khrushchev Thaw was ultimately a good, and perhaps there was even some truth to its stated goal of returning to true Marxism-Leninism."

"Lenin did denounce the cult of an individual."

"Yeah," Lev took a sandwich from the plate. "You guys really don't think I'm a spy."

"Or we just don't care," Pyotr reminded. "We do have powerful allies."

"One of whom gave her own little speech," Katrina dryly remarked.

"Yes, Shinju Ayanami's oratory gave us a good excuse to inspect much of our industry," Sakharov nodded.

"Perhaps, it will even inspire them to maintain their quality control," Katrina grumbled.

"Inspiration and fear. Good combination." Igor smirked. "She even provided her own translation on later broadcasts."

"That was her?" Lev raised an eyebrow. "She's pretty good."

"It helps that it was done in a recording studio where flubs could be edited out and redone," Katrina noted.

"You're just jealous of your pilot's slow progress," Pyotr said.

"Her mighty robot brain not enough?" Igor laughed.

Katrina narrowed her eyes.

"The Second, she's really a robot?" Lev asked.

"Were you even briefed?" Katrina asked. She gave Sakharov a sharp glare.

"The reports and images said she was modified with Evangelion parts. Organic components."

"Bio-robot. Just like how the Evangelions are bio-robots," Katrina slowly explained.

"Bio-robot eh?" Lev asked

"Don't even think of making a Chernobyl reference," Katrina stated.

"What?"

"The cleanup crew got the nickname bio-robots, a bit worse than liquidator, if just as cynical." Katrina shook her head. "But I would not recommend calling her a robot, bio or otherwise."

"Sensitive issue," Igor added.

"Also don't use the name Asuka either."

"Right, I got that much from the reports. Is she... stable?"

"Nerv has cleared her for combat duty. JSSDF and Azazel agree," Katrina kept her eyes on Sakharov.

"But what do you think? You're her handler?" Lev pressed.

"Killing the angels has become her whole purpose. Keeping her out of battle would be even more damaging to her mental state. Her training has held, but there are concerns given what Nerv did to her."

"But isn't the lead scientist her father?" Lev asked. "He should be a moderating influence..."

Katrina laughed.

"Oh, you are green." Pyotr shook his head.

"Professor Insana makes Director Beria seem sociable and stable."

Lev blinked.

"You see, this is a war ruled by unfettered science."

"Consider that the Americans' white elephant is the saner weapon."

"But it doesn't really work," Lev noted.

"They are endeavoring to correct that deficiency," Sakharov stated.

"It would seem that a certain level of lunacy is required before you can kill an Angel."

"Ah, that's why you're worried about your principal? Synchronizing with an Evangelion is dangerous, and Asuka is doing it all the time."

Katrina nodded.

"So, we get another officer and half a platoon, did higher ups send anything else?" Pyotr asked.

"Well, I did bring a little gift," Lev admitted.

Sakharov snickered.

"Ah, so that's what I saw you with this morning," Katrina nodded.

"Gift for who?" Igor asked.

"Shinju's gift is taking a nap in my quarters," Lev said as someone knocked on the door.

"We have guest?" Igor asked.

"Yes, our... supervisor." Sakharov stood up and opened the door.

Misako stepped into the room and looked Lev over.

Feeling a slight chill, Lev saluted the red-eyed woman. "Lieutenant Lev Flyorov, Azazel, assigned to head Warrant Suzuhara's bodyguard platoon," he said, switching to Japanese.

Smiling slightly, Misako nodded and turned to Sakharov. "What's going on Yuli? You didn't have any more giants? Even Katrina's got a bigger build than him."

Igor snickered.

Misako picked up a sandwich and frowned at the ham. Sighing, she put it back down. Her mood perked up when Igor lumbered back form the fridge and handed her a beer. She then went to Igor's living room and pulled a chair so it faced the other officers. "So, you've got Toji then?"

Opening the bottle, Misako took a contemplative sip. "Challenging. He's very normal you know."

"That is challenge?" Lev asked.

"You did watch the footage we've collected?" Katrina asked.

Swallowing, Lev nodded.

Looking at Lev's reaction, Misako lowered her beer. "You're not thinking of getting another pig are you?" Misako rubbed her forehead.

Igor coughed.

"Anyway, Toji isn't as spirited as the girls," Misako said.

"By which she means he's mentally and emotionally stable," Katrina stated.

"Joke?" Lev asked.

Misako sipped her beer. She paused. "He hasn't been in battle yet; he's still apprehensive. Not like the girls."

Igor chuckled.

Misako glared at the bearish man. "He's seen what piloting and training is doing to Shinju and Asuka. Getting his own Evangelion and fighting is going to push him even more."

"And Rei?" Pyotr asked.

"Yeeeaaah." Misako drew the word out. "She's the First Child and pilots Unit 00, the prototype. She's been doing this longer than any other pilot."

"She's handling well enough," Pyotr defended.

"Relatively speaking," Katrina remarked. "This is what we're trying to tell you Lev. Suzuhara doesn't have the same baggage as the others. For example he doesn't have father issues."

Misako raised an eyebrow. "True. Toji also had a relatively stable childhood. Lost his mother, but unlike the other Pilots his father was there for him. Gets along well enough with his sister." She took another sip. "Now, he's already at Matsushiro Test Facility prepping for his first sync with his Evangelion. We can arrange your introduction when he gets back."

"Sort of a welcome into the full Pilot club?" Sakharov smirked.

"Give him the full set of accoutrements?" Katrina asked.

"And it'd lessen your workload." Misako looked between the Azazel officers.

"That will ease up on things, especially his training," Katrina agreed. "Especially since he needs more work to catch up."

"Ah, remedial work," Lev frowned.

"We'll give you his training records; he's obedient and willing to learn. Inexperienced, but at least you won't have bad training to overcome." Katrina said.

"He has been progressing well," Misako agreed.

"That's good," Lev nodded. "There is one last thing," he cleared his throat. "Have you considered our offer to give Shinju a pet?"

Misako took a pull from her beer. "I suppose it would be nice to have a pet again."

"Shinju's had one before?"

Misako's eyes widened slightly. "No, not her, but I suppose a pet could help. What did you have in mind?"

Lev smiled. "Oh, I'm sure you'll love him."

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Standing on a railing, Toji watched as the latest Evangelion was maneuvered by overhead crane towards the retraining cradle. In the next cage over, Unit 02 was already secured and locked in.

Unit 02's Sapiency Driver stood next to him. "Not bad looking, Rookie."

Toji looked at his black-gloved palm. "Yah, good looking paint job, though dark blue with black and white trim isn't the most camouflaged of color patterns."

Kiko laughed. "You should try being golden and red."

"No thanks, plug suits are bad enough."

Frowning slightly, Kiko quietly watched as the heavy-duty crane slowly, carefully rolled the giant war machine back. A few meters ahead of the cradle it rolled to a stop and workers started scurrying around the cage and began plugging various cables and conduits into the Evangelion from various catwalks others and scissors lifts.

"I knew it was coming; I waited for it to arrive. I've even piloted ones but this..." Toji exhaled. "Seeing it and knowing it's mine, that's something else."

"Lot of money went into this. A lot of responsibility- You know what'll happen if you screw up."

"Yeah." Toji nodded. "It's a lot of weight, but damn if we humans can build something like this..."

Kiko nodded in agreement. "She is pretty."

"She?" Toji blinked and looked at Unit 03. "It's a robot."

"Organically grown and cybernetically augmented. And female." Kiko smirked.

"Oh," Toji coughed.

"What's wrong with synchronizing with a female Evangelion?" The gynoid's grin grew. "It's just a little cross dressing."

"Hey!"

"You didn't have a problem piloting my Greater Self." Kiko pretended to pout.

"Does look a lot like it... her... ummm..."

Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"Oh come on! It's confusing."

"You have no idea." Kiko shook her head, and returned to studying the Evangelion. "Production series, so very similar to mine. She's got two eyes. Lucky you."

Toji nodded. "Yeah, the four you have. Sometimes it feels like I'm seeing double, but not."

"You'll get used to it. Everyone has butterflies when they start out."

Toji raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like it's my first time."

"Well rookie, you are a virgin."

The Fifth Child blinked. "Uh... what?"

"Synchronizing," Kiko smirked.

"But you are your Evangelion. So you're synchronizing with yourself."

Kiko frowned.

"And what about when I piloted in Unit 02?"

"Fine. That's enough." Kiko narrowed her eyes.

Toji looked past the crane and at the rest of the Evangelion pit. "Smaller than the Geo Front."

"Matsushiro's a testing facility. It can only support a couple of Evangelions."

"Yeah, but isn't this where your father does his freaky experiments?"

Kiko crossed her arms. "Yes."

"Doesn't it worry you that we're way out here, just for an activation test?"

"Awwww," Kiko smiled. "You're scared."

"I'm about to synchronize with a giant war machine. Apparently, it's so dangerous Nerv is doing it well away from Tokyo 3 and sent along another Evangelion just in case. And if everything does work out fine, that just means I'll be fit to fight giant aliens."

"Getting better, Rookie."

Toji rolled his eyes. "What'd I miss?"

"You didn't go outside and look at the sky did you?" Kiko smirked.

"Of course, the Russians." Toji sighed. "I meant I'll be fit to fight giant aliens, under the 'protection' of drunk Russian navy boys who'll throw nukes at me if I don't kill the Angel fast enough. And they'll throw nukes into the battlefield anyway."

Kiko slapped him on the back. "No pressure Rookie!"

Toji looked away and watched as his Evangelion was bolted down. "You know this is a test for you too."

Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"This is your first field deployment. A bunch of people are wondering if you can hack it. If you're actually the Second Child, and not some gussied-up Dummy Plug."

The gynoid's orange eyes narrowed. "Rookie," she hissed.

"What?" Toji was careful to keep his back towards her. "I'm just saying – I'm not the only one being tested today."

"There you are," Ritsuko stepped onto the catwalk.

"It's not like you didn't know exactly where we were," Kiko grumbled.

The scientist smiled slightly. "True, I was just being polite."

"I bet you've got a locator beacon buried somewhere in my skull."

"Don't be silly," Ritsuko scoffed. "Having you broadcast your location is a security breach begging to be exploited."

"Thanks." Kiko sighed.

"Heck, you hardly have any wireless capability, and you normally operate on radio silence."

"And the Azazel channels?"

"They use radio discipline. You should too." Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.

"She's got a built in radio now?" Toji asked.

Ritsuko pointed to Kiko's ear blades. "These aren't decorative,"

"I thought those were just for synchronizing." Toji shrugged.

"Can we stop obsessing over my body?" Kiko frowned.

"Of course, it's time for Toji's test anyway." Ritsuko smirked.

"Yay." Toji flatly stated.

Kiko blinked. "For someone that spent the last few weeks complaining about not having his own Evangelion-"

"Yes, and now I got my wish. Something's going to go wrong."

"Don't be such a pessimist." Ritsuko shook her head as she led the Pilots to their Evangelions. "We haven't had a synchronization test screw up since Unit 00 about a year ago, before the Angels came back. We have had a pretty good record."

Toji shrugged.

"Great, another cynical Pilot. What's with you Children?" Ritsuko asked.

Kiko stopped at the hatch to her plug. "You have to ask?"

"You don't hear the Ayanamis complaining like this."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kiko simply stared.

"Yeah Doc, that's not the best counterexample." Toji said.

Ritsuko sighed. "Just get into your Evas." She then spun on her heel and crossed the catwalk and returned to the control room.

Sliding into the cockpit seat, Toji exhaled. The plug's hatch closed and locked shut. Gripping the control handles, he felt the plug slide into position and the cockpit vibrate as the armor locked into place.

"Take it easy - your heartbeat's racing," Ritsuko advised from the control room.

"This is just a bit new." Toji leaned back and closed his eyes. He breathed a few times. "Okay... I'm ready."

"Filling plug," Ritsuko said.

LCL poured into the cockpit and Toji let the orange-red fluid flow over his body. Just before it rose above his head, he took in a final gulp of air, and then slowly exhaled into the fluid and then with equal deliberate slowness inhaled the LCL.

"Ugh, charge it already." Toji grumbled, as he looked around in the red-tinged amber liquid.

"Of course." Ritsuko laughed. "Charging LCL."

Turning transparent, the fluid became a reasonable simulation of air. Toji leaned back and let his mind drift. The babble from the various technicians and scientists washed over him as his body tingled and the walls of the tube flashed between rainbows, lightning patterns, fractal-like images that hurt his eyes. Finally, the tube settled down to a glossy ruby color and shifted into a collection of display screens.

"Initial contacts are alright," Ritsuko said, her image appeared on a small window on the forward display.

Toji nodded and flexed his hands as he checked the various readouts. "Confirmed."

A static image of Unit 02's head appeared next to Ritsuko's display. "Hah. Took you long enough, Rookie!" Kiko's voice crowed.

"Synchronization at 33%." Ritsuko gave a tiny frown. "Not bad, you'll need to get used to the Unit."

"Yeah, it feels different from Unit 02." Toji shifted his shoulders. "Not nearly as... worn in you know?"

"Hey!" Kiko yelled.

"What? This is a brand new Evangelion. Yours had years of use."

Unit 02's hand clenched. "Oh, you're not making that joke. I haven't been ridden hard."

"What?"

"Warrant Suzuhara is correct. Unit 02 has logged a bit more hours than the other Units."

"Really? What about all of Princess and Wondergirl's special training?" Kiko's voice asked.

"That was all relatively recent, and most of it was done via simulators," Ritsuko explained. "Before Shinju arrived Unit 01 and Unit 00 for that matter were basically mothballed. Rei had hardly synchronized with hers. That left Unit 02."

"Yeah, you had me do all the grunt work with synchronizing and equipment testing."

"Currently, Unit 00 and especially Unit 01 have gotten more combat use. Though Unit 02 is rapidly catching up. Either way, Unit 03 is factory new, where the other three units have been battered around."

Toji looked over at Unit 02. The transition between the newer head and shoulder armor and the rest of the plating was stark, but it was not the only example. There were two golden halo-shaped kill makers painted on the crimson Evangelion's head, and various mounting points for bandoliers, holsters and other weapons. Even the new armor was painted to a flatter, less glossy color than the black and dark blues of Toji's unit.

"So what's next Doc? We gonna get to the training or what?" Toji asked.

"Your transport planes are taxiing to the elevators so your units can be attached. After that you'll be flown to the training range," Ritsuko explained.

"Yes, maybe this time you won't scream when the plane releases you."

'That was my first time!"

"Princess didn't scream. Are you saying you're less manly than a little girl?" Kiko teased.

"Shinju doesn't count!"

"Oh?"

Toji twitched. "Of course! She fell for miles and then drop-slammed into an Angel. An Angel that hours before had almost killed her. Oh, and right after she hit, the Russians nuked the damn thing. Fucking Rambo's less manly than that!"

"Those were N2 missiles," Kiko muttered.

"Still, giant explosions. Being shot at her."

"Yes, yes," Kiko's voce dismissed as Unit 02 tried to shrug, despite the shoulder restraints. "During the Israfel battle Princess shot at me plenty of times. You get used to it.. Just keep your AT field up whenever she's around."

"We have nuclear weapons! N2 warheads are our low yield-loadout, and you're telling me to expect friendly fire?"

"Poor naive, Rookie."

Seeing how Unit 02's head lifted up, Toji was glad that there were green covers over the Evangelion's eyes. Just the mental image of those four eyes rolling in sync with Kiko's words churned his stomach. "I thought the Evangelions were the precision weapons?

Kiko continued. "You don't get it: we are surgical weapons. Angel Busters start out at 200 kilotons. They can easily go ten times, a hundred times more powerful. The weapons we use, even the little white tipped shells you're so scared of, are party poppers compared to that."

"Is this supposed to reassure me?" Toji grumbled.

"No, it's supposed to get your head outta your butt, Rookie. Quit moping around and quit worrying about Princess blowing you up, because if you screw up the Russians will show you what a real explosion is."

Toji sighed and another air bubble escaped from deep within his lungs. "You really know how to keep up morale."

"Bah, training is what keeps up morale. You'd be amazed at how happy someone is after you've made them run a few kilometers," Kiko said semi-sarcastically.

"You're sounding a lot like them; well I guess you're both Red." Toji sighed.

"A political joke? My Rookie, someone's growing," Kiko snickered.

Again, Toji could not help, but watch as Unit 02 seemed to silently chuckle.

"Alright, that's enough," Ritsuko's voice cut in. "Your transports are in position and ready to take you to the training site. So, after a basic motion test we'll load you up."

"Motion test, joy," Toji sighed as his Eva cage shuddered as the locks withdrew and it rolled along the immense tracks built into the floor.

"What, you think we'll throw you out of an airplane straight from synchronization?" Ritsuko laughed. "We're not Azazel, we don't toss you into the deep-end to see if you can swim."

"Yes, Nerv is very cautious with its Pilots," Kiko complained. "They'll refuse to sortie a trained pilot with years of experience."

"Not that again," Ritsuko sharply said.

"This isn't my first jump," Toji said as the Evangelion cage entered the plain walled test cell. He tapped the controls in irritation.

"This is your first test with this Unit. Evangelions are too expensive to waste completely untested." Ritsuko unlocked the Evangelion from its cage.

Feeling the Unit's shoulders and hips free, Toji took a step forward. "Well? Now what?"

Nodding, Ritsuko tracked the Evangelion's movement. "Any problems?"

"Just like Kiko's," Toji shrugged.

"Right," Ritsuko looked down at her clipboard. "I've got some physical maneuvers I want you to do. Just a basic motion check. Then we can make sure your AT field generation is adequate."

Toji twitched at that word; Kiko laughed.

The basic motion check turned out to be ten minutes of various exercises and stretches. Repeated again and again. By the time the AT field test came around, Toji was relieved with the change of pace of sitting still and concentrating.

Eventually, the Evangelion returned to the cage and the cage rolled back. Unit 02 looked over and Kiko's voice chuckled over the radio. "Ready for some real training, Rookie?"

"Yes, a thousand times yes." Toji sighed.

"Oh quit complaining, training's supposed to be monotonous."

"Or scary," Toji grumbled.

"You're just a wimp."

"No, I'm not used to this, you are. All of you are. Look at Shinju."

"Feh, I'm still better than Princess. Sure she'd sound all sweet, but she'd kick your ass and giggle while doing it. Remember when she strangled you with your own power umbilical?" Kiko asked as the Evangelion cages shuddered and started rolling on their immense tracks.

The cages rotated ninety degreed to position the Evangelions horizontally. "My masculinity was trying to forget." Toji said after shaking his head at the new orientation.

"Well, deal with it. You'll have to accept a little girl being a better pilot than you," Kiko grumbled as the Evangelions were lifted to the waiting transports.

"Hey, I'm not sexist. It's just the cackling I have trouble with." Toji sighed. After a series of thumps and lurches, Toji nodded as the lights on his instrument display switched to green. "This is Unit 03. Docking with transport complete. Structural support and power transferred over."

"Unit 02 confirms." Kiko added.

"Good, I'll tell the YC59 pilot's you're ready." Ritsuko radioed. "Oh, and welcome to the Evangelion squadron Warrant Suzuhara. Don't screw up."

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A happy bark got Lieutenant Lev Flyorov's attention. Smiling he turned and saw the wooly, bulky grey and black puppy look up from its box. Giant paws clung to the edge of the wooden crate as the dog smiled.

The short stocky Azazel officer leaned forward and patted the dog on the head. "You're eager today, Flins. Do you know she's coming?"

The puppy yawned and tumbled back into the nest of gym towels piled in one corner of the crate.

Smiling, Lev straightened up his files and locked them away. Pulling his chair over to the crate, he sat down with a book, and rested his spare hand on the slumbering puppy.

Just before there was a knock on the door, Flins popped up and gave out another little bark. Lev rose and answered, keeping his right hand free and at his side. The diminutive officer looked up. " Lieutenant Khariton." He looked down. "Pilots."

Igor grumbled and barreled his way into the small apartment. Shinju and Toji followed on his wake. Toji looked around the sparse room, his eye lingering on a couple jerseys that hung on the wall, a small case with a handful of medals and pucks.

Shinju for her part went straight to the crate. "Puppy!"

Putting his forepaws on the edge of the crate, Flins levered himself out and in a lumbering scamper ran towards the girl.

"You have a dog?" Toji asked.

"Flins not my dog," Lev chuckled.

The puppy lifted his head up and pushed against Shinju's leg. The pilot giggled and petted the dog that came past her knee. "It's a big puppy!" She kneeled down and let the dog happily lick her hand.

Igor nodded. "Ovcharka then?"

"Yes, three months old. His training's started but..." Lev lifted his hand.

"A lot of work," Igor grumbled.

"You don't think she can handle it?"

Shinju immediately turned to face the officers. "Is he mine then?" she asked in her school-girl Russian.

Toji frowned; his Russian was rudimentary but he could figure out the context. "She gets a puppy? No wonder Kiko's jealous. What do I get then?"

Lev chuckled. "Why you get me Warrant Suzuhara."

"I'd rather have a puppy."

"No, Ovcharka handful. Big dog. Strong dog. Mountain dog."

"Oh?" Shinju asked as she pulled the puppy onto her lap.

"Strong-willed breed. Dogs are social animals. You will need to be the Alpha," Lev explained.

Igor chuckled. "Challenging gift then."

"He is a cute pup," Toji reached out and Flins gurgled at him. Toji frowned and withdrew his hand.

"Tell him no," Igor said.

"No," Shinju implored.

"Firmer, flatter. He is a dog; you do not negotiate with dogs. Command him."

"No." Shinju repeated, her voice even and demanding.

Flins looked up at Shinju and whined.

"No." Shinju's voice deepened.

Flins lowered his head and yawned.

"Now comfort him," Lev stated. "Toji reach out and pet the dog. Shinju tell him it's okay."

"What?" Toji asked.

Lev smirked. "As your trainer and guard, I think I can teach you how to pet a sleepy puppy."

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Tilting her head, Kiko stepped back as the door to the Ayanami apartment opened. Following Misako in, Kiko frowned as the strange, almost yipping, noise repeated.

The gynoid froze as a large, puffy, puppy lumbered out of the living room. Its little teeth were bared as it raced towards Kiko. Behind it, Shinju rose from the couch, her eyes stern.

Entering the kitchen, the dog slipped on the tile and wobbled back to its feet. However, before it could resume its run, Shinju's voice cut in. "No! Bad Flins! Sit!"

Watching the preteen girl walk up to the dog and further scold him, Kiko felt her knees weaken.

"Sorry about that," Shinju said, her voice softening. "But we can't have him attacking you." She went back to the puppy and with some effort picked the stocky grey dog up.

Kiko turned to Misako. "You got Princess a puppy?"

Smiling, Misako watched Shinju carry the dog back to the couch. "It was Azazel's idea."

"Huh," Kiko's gaze went to the couch where Rei and Shinju sat on opposite ends, with Flins between them. The middle sister was even absently petting the puppy's side as she read her latest bodice-ripper.

Opening an eye, Flins watched the new person approach, but his grumbling was cut off by Shinju stating No.

"You're petting a dog."

"Yes," Rei stated.

"I didn't know you liked animals."

Rei closed her book and looked up at Kiko. "Bonding with pack-mates is important for a canine's development. It gives them a sense of belonging and place."

"Makes me wonder why you never petted me," Kiko grumbled she reached out to the puppy.

"Shinju has hugged you several times," Rei reminded.

"That's not the same," pouted the gynoid.

The pre-teen clone happily nodded. "See Flins, she's okay." Shinju assured as the puppy sniffed Kiko's armored palm.

Flins licked Kiko's hand and then leaned on her. Kiko eyed the dog's paws. "That's... that's a big puppy."

"Yeah." After taking one of her beer rations out of the fridge Misako left the kitchen and joined the others in the living room. "Makes me glad the whole compound's walled so this thing will have plenty of space to run." Taking a sip, she smiled as the puppy went limp in Kiko's hands. "How was the test today?"

"Don't you already know?" Kiko arched an etched eyebrow.

"Well yes, I would have been told if something bad had happened and I did get a quick briefing, but I'd like your impression. How was Toji today? Can he handle it?"

Kiko snorted, which caused Flins to wake up and pout. "Princess gets a puppy, Rookie gets a brand new Evangelion, and I get to report on him," she grumbled, petting the pup.

"Well, your father was planning some upgrades but he changed his mind," Misako frowned.

"I'll take that." Kiko laughed as Shinju picked up Flins. "Well... he's got a pretty low sync rate," Kiko said sitting down between Rei and Shinju, who deposited the puppy on Kiko's polished lap.

"He should get better," Misako said. "What about you? You learning your lines for the speech?"

"Yes." Kiko rolled her eyes. "It's been downloaded too so I can just display it on my heads-up."

"Just as long as it doesn't look like you're reading from a teleprompter. We want you to sound human, not like a robot."

"Feh, just make sure Rookie doesn't screw up his line."

"I will." Misako nodded. "This is all new to him."

"Well we can't all be like Princess and regularly dazzle people with our oratory," Kiko smirked, causing Shinju to blush."

"Other than the sync, how was Toji today?" Misako asked.

"Fine enough, once he got warmed up he wasn't that clumsy in the field."

"Still getting used to the new Unit then?"

"He's only human. He doesn't have our advantages." Kiko glanced at the pilots flanking her.

"I thought you considered clones and cyborgs cheating?"

"It's only cheating when I'm not doing it," Kiko pouted.

"Self delusion: leveling off. Progress." Rei noted, resuming her reading.

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"And how are you doing?" Ritsuko asked as Misako walked up to her.

Sighing, Misako looked over her shoulder, making sure the corridor was empty. "You ever try puppy-proofing your house?"

"I do have a cat." Ritsuko smirked.

"That your grandmother is taking care of."

"I thought you'd miss owning a pet," Ritsuko observed as they stepped onto a long escalator that took them deeper into the depths of Central Dogma.

Misako shrugged. "Dog's a lot more work."

"I thought Shinju was taking care of little Flins?" Ritsuko asked.

"He'll still chew anything I leave out not to mention any food." Misako looked over the edge of the escalator. "At least Shinju's keeping him in line."

The scientists laughed. "It all makes sense now! Azazel's secret plan is to force you to be neat and clean."

"Well, your secret plan is to keep me sober," Misako grumbled.

"It's working."

Misako sighed. "At least the Fifth's doing well."

"Yes, it's reassuring that a... male can pilot."

"Makes me wonder about Ikari." Misako followed Ritsuko off the escalator. "Then again look at the weirdos he's got working on Project E."

Ritsuko stopped and glared at the clone. "Really? Lumping me in with Insana and the others?"

"Sure you're more stable than Insana, your mother-" Misako looked around the barren hallway. "-even my father, but that's not saying much is it?"

"I'm better than Beria and that moon-brained Texan and his ridiculous airplane," Ritsuko added.

"Again, that's not saying much." Laughing, Misako followed the scientist down the corridor.

"What about you, then? Being the most normal Ayanami isn't much either."

Misako shrugged. "You're the one that's going down to Insana's lab."

"I use the lab too!" Ritsuko cried as she keyed into the laboratory. The armored door slid open.

"Insana!" Ritsuko yelled, as they walked between the various machines and worktables. Not getting an answer, the two women went deeper into the laboratory, stopping at the makeshift break room, where they found the professor.

Whistling out of tune, Insana picked up a pair of forceps. He then lifted an open can of soup off the hotplate and plopped it on the table. Insana then tore open an instant coffee packet and dumped it into the soup can and stirred. He ripped open a vacuum sealed packet of crackers.

Ritsuko blanched. "Oh."

"Well, what's wrong?" Misako asked. "Sure it's odd, but it's not horrible."

"Like you can talk. You put beer in your ramen."

"Can I help you?" Insana sedately asked after dunking a cracker in his soup.

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "You okay, Tino?"

Insana slipped his goggles on. "Why yes! Just a minor repast, so I can continue my Science!"

Ritsuko lowered her forehead to her palm.

Misako paced around Insana's table. "Huh... is the caffeine that important?"

Insana stared at the pink-haired clone.

Ritsuko eyed an open cabinet that contained a stack of soup cans. "Man, even Misako had more variety in her diet."

"I got better!"

"Only because Shinju and Rei are cooking for you," Ritsuko replied.

"I get my nutrition, and it's easy food to make and stockpile," Insana pouted.

"Stockpile? Are you still in that Post-Impact mentality?" Misako asked.

"Right, because it's not like we're in a gigantic bunker during an existential war," Insana remarked. "Besides shopping is a distraction."

"Well, we had been planning to talk about Unit 03's inspection and possible adjustments, but-" Ritsuko eyed the hotplate. "I suppose we could go somewhere to eat first."

"I suppose," Insana allowed. "This will reheat just fine, and make a delicious breakfast!" He raised his fist and shook it.

Ritsuko sighed. "I think your delicious and my delicious are two very, very different things, Tino."

"Bah, Science is the only sustenance I crave!" Insana made a fist, but shrugged, and went to neatening up his hotplate and cooking implements.

"Then you don't want to come with us?" Ritsuko asked, hope edging her voice.

"Yeah, we were thinking of going to this bar and grill just outside Central Dogma. They actually make hamburgers without burning them to a crisp. And I'm certain we can get a table on the patio that overlooks the lake and the forest."

"Well, I was speaking figuratively about the sustenance thing. I am an organic being after all." Insana stated.

"Really, sometimes I wonder," Ritsuko dryly remarked.

"Oh no, physically I'm within acceptable standard deviations from human mainline; I conducted the tests myself!"

"Mentally, however..." Ritsuko muttered.

"I'm brilliant of course." Insana grinned.

As the trio made their way out of the laboratory, Misako glanced back and the capering man. "Somehow, that's not very reassuring."

"Bah, you're just like my daughter. She complained when I tried to help her too," Insana sneered.

"What, that battle-maid armor you doodled?"

"Based on my experience girls like being pretty, having lacy details, possessing a more endowed body, and of course armaments."

Misako shook her head. "So close, yet so very, very far."

"I think I can guess your focus group," Ritsuko remarked.

"Now Misako, you mentioned hamburgers. Doesn't your biology preclude the consumption of flesh?" Insana asked as they stepped onto one of the Geo-Front's multi-story escalators.

Misako paled, slightly. "Well, I can tell when something's been burned, and then there's the smell."

"Ah I see, a believable story," Insana smiled.

Misako laughed.

"Are you ready for the presentation?" Ritsuko asked Insana.

"Presentation? Isn't that next Sunday?"

Ritsuko sighed. "No, it's tomorrow. You know... the twenty-fifth."

Misako shook her head. "I can't believe. Ikari chose that day for it."

"The twenty-fifth? Huh, but isn't today the seventeenth?"

"He has a flare for the dramatic." Ritsuko shrugged at Misako. She blinked and turned to Insana. "The seventeenth? You're off by a whole week."

Insana shrugged.

Ritsuko rubbed her forehead. "Look, be there, I'll have someone pick you up. Dress nice."

"Ready? I'm not speaking." Insana blinked.

"No, you're not. Thank God for small favors. Do you have a suit? A good suit."

"I'm a scientist."

"You can wear your lab coat over it." Ritsuko eyed Insana's hair. "And maybe see a barber, or a comb. And no goggles!"

"You've got yours in your pocket!" Insana wailed.

"But I won't be wearing mine tomorrow. We want Nerv to look competent. This is the first time we'll have all four pilots and Evangelions, and we'll be showing off your daughter."

"Fine." As they walked, Insana sulked. He brightened. "Oh, you owe me a hundred yen."

"Ah yes, the Fifth didn't perform as well as I'd have hoped."

"You're betting against the Pilots?" Misako's eyes widened.

"I had a thousand on there being some sort of disaster, but Ritsuko wouldn't take it," Insana grinned.

Angry, Misako glared at Ritsuko. "How come you didn't tell me?"

"Because it's even more unseemly for you to gamble on the Pilots."

"Ah, social lunches. Reminds me of my university days." Insana grinned.

"Please, no more college stories." Misako whined. "Ritsuko's are boring enough as it is.

"We met in college!" Ritsuko yelled.

"No, we met in Nerv 02." Misako eyed the blonde.

"Err... " Ritsuko coughed. "Sorry."

Seemingly oblivious, Insana grinned. "We should get the other scientists in on this. While Director Beria's attention to rigor is admirable, I fear that it's holding his real potential back. And for a technician Hiram is innovative enough. Why a man with his education and research experience went into engineering I'll never understand."

Twisting around on the escalator, Ritsuko eyed Insana.

"Huh," Misako nodded.

"No! Don't encourage him," Ritsuko hissed.

"Why? Shouldn't you big brains be working together? Having a weekly lunch could do good."

"Every week? With them!" Ritsuko's eye twitched.

"You don't like Hiram?"

"That bombastic, bald cowboy is the least of my worries!" Ritsuko spun on her heel and caught the end of the escalator and fell to the floor in a tumble. "Why did Ikari buy all these damn things?" Ritsuko demanded as she pulled herself back up.

End Chapter 8

Writer's Notes: I'd like to thank my pre-readers DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, and Wray. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to.

Pale Wolf was especially helpful, if you laughed at the dialog odds-are that was his doing.

On another note I'm currently working on Return, so after about a year of hiatus you will be seeing another chapter of that fic. Thanks for reading.


	9. Teambuilding Part 2

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Sunshine Temple

Here's the disclaimer of non-ownership: Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Team Fortress 2 is owned by Valve. The Spoony Experiment is owned by Noah Antwiler

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Temporary Backup Site.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Nine: Teambuilding Part 2

"I can't believe we're in the Geo Front. Did you ever imagine such a thing?" Tokiko closed the cap on her lipstick tube and grinned at her reflection.

Standing at the next sink over, Mikki put away her eyelash brush and dropped her glasses off her forehead and back into place. Tapping her chin she smiled lightly. "Oh, I knew it was only a matter of time."

Tokiko giggled. "Oh? You knew Gombe-san would ask you to come?"

Mikki's grin broadened. "He is an important industrialist; and a single, virile man. As such it'd be natural for him to be invited to such an event, and even more that he'd require... escort."

Tokiko laughed as they left the bathroom and entered a small hallway. "Don't let him hear you say that."

Mikki raised an eyebrow.

"He'd think you were being serious."

Stepping out of the hallway and into the ballroom Mikki heard Tokiko gasp, and the auburn haired secretary found herself joining her... coworker in wonderment. The room itself was only noteworthy for its size and elegantly understated tile floors and brushed steel pillars and accents.

However, the entire far wall of the building was done in glass, revealing the lush forests, cavernous walls, and distantly looming ceiling of the Geo Front. Bookending the view was the Evangelion squadron. Two to a side, the titanic war machines flanked the view and stood at attention.

Filling the plaza between them were a pair of giant rifles, their double barrels taken from16 inch battleship guns and a single revolver that was larger than tractor trailer. Inside the room were full scale mockups of the big gun's ammunition.

"Man, hard to believe humans made those things," Tokiko whispered.

"Yes... hard to believe they did." Looking up at a 16 inch shell, Mikki set her jaw. Three meters tall and half a meter wide, the case alone towered over her. The "bullet" added another two meters.

Giggling, Tokiko snapped out of her awe and lowered her gaze. "So... you get any reply from that Russian pilot of yours?"

"Huh?" Mikki followed Tokiko's gaze and watched the table full of Azazel officers for a moment. "Oh well. I'm pretty sure... he got the message." Mikki blushed and looked around the room. Many of the tables were full of politicians, defense contractors, and scientists, but among the flock was a gaggle of black-suited Section Two agents and platoons of Azazel Naval Infantry, carefully watching the... guests.

Forcing a warm smile, Mikki followed Tokiko to their table. Looking up at the stage, Mikki shook her head.

Tokiko glanced up and nodded at the quartet of banners. "It's a bit over the top isn't it?"

"Yeah..." Mikki shrugged. Each banner was at least ten meters tall and three meters wide and came to a point at the tip. From right to left their colors went from powder blue, crimson, violet, and dark navy blue. Each had a different playing card suit dominating the banner. Power blue had a black club overlaid by a numeral one. Red had a heart outlined in gold with two. Purple had a four over the Ace of spades. And dark blue had a five over the red diamond.

"Kind of creepy. All big and imposing," Tokiko remarked.

"I sort of think the giant war machines parked outside are more of a threat."

Hearing the room quiet down, Tokiko looked up and saw the Nerv officers and Pilots file onto the long table that ran down the back of the stage. "We've got to hurry up!" Tokiko cried as she started to run as well as the pencil skirting of her dress would allow.

Despite this Mikki had a hard time following. "Hey! I'm not as good in heels as you."

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Wearing the long black skirt and red-trimmed black jacket of her Nerv dress uniform, Misako stepped onto the stage. Before speaking she checked her mike and waited for the room to quiet down and people to find their seats.

She smirked slightly as two pieces of arm candy ran to the table claimed by Gombe Heavy Construction. GHC was one of the main firms that did repair and construction work for the city. After the Matarael mess their trucks had dominated Tokyo 3's roads and their cranes had filled the skyline.

Misako cleared her throat. "As many of you know, Nerv has gone through some changes. Unit 00 has completed its upgrades to bring it in line with the rest of the squadron. The Fifth Child, Warrant Suzuhara has received Unit 03, and the Fourth Child killed her fifth Angel, becoming an ace. The first of this war," Misako said, eyeing the Azazel table.

Scanning the room the clone paused. "But there has been tragedy. The most recent battle nearly claimed the life of the Second Child. But I'm here to announce that she is ready for duty." Misako pointed to an open spot at the front of the stage. "I now present to you the Second Child, Pilot of Unit 02, Warrant Officer Asuka 'Kiko' Insana Soryu!"

Trap doors flipped open and a platform raised, revealing Kiko. After the lifting completed, the gynoid smiled and snapped off a salute; she then exhaled. She had only stepped onto the platform when Misako started the speech but it had been dull waiting in the room underneath the stage.

Looking at the hybrid of Evangelion flesh and human, Mikki's hand spasmed.

"Huh, so those posters were real. I had hoped that Nerv had gone Avant-garde or something." Tokiko quietly remarked.

"Now you know what the death of hope is like," Mikki spat under her breath.

"What'd you say?" Tokiko tilted her head.

"No, that was reality," the man known as Nanashi Gombe leaned back and adjusted his tie. "Desperation breeds innovation after all."

Mikki nodded.

"Least she looks cute enough. Shiny," Tokiko remarked.

"They probably waxed her up real good this evening," Mikki said

"Mikki!" Tokiko hissed. She eyed the gynoid. "Oh wow, maybe they did."

"Yes all perfect, plastic, and packaged. She's a product fit for consumption. Something to sooth sensitive sensibilities," Mikki grumbled.

"She looks a bit like an Eva," Tokiko noted.

Mikki sighed.

Gombe smirked.

"Oh," Tokiko blushed.

Up on the stage one of the scientists tittered at the audience's rapt reaction. "See," Insana whispered to Ritsuko. "Floor entrance: much better."

Ritsuko sipped from her water. "I won't justify that with a response."

"But look at the drama, the suspense. They see her power, her beauty. It stuns them, they cannot contain themselves."

"Stuns? You think that's what's happening?"

At the Gombe Heavy Construction table, the quiet conversation continued. "The stale cigarette smell of Miss Mann hovers above this," Gombe grumbled.

Half listening to the abomination's brief speech, Mikki nodded. The chimera's babble about duty and sacrifice sounded depressingly like something Iry would spout.

Then Mikki's eyes widened and she had to force her gorge and her powers down. Stepping onto the stage was Her. Tracking across the room, Her crimson gaze fell upon Mikki. Crisp white gloves and a purple hair band contrasted and complemented her Nerv tactical uniform For moment the Angel's breath stopped, her will concentrated on keeping her AT field from emerging.

Then after a seeming eternity, the small girl's gaze slipped away and she continued crossing the stage, making eye contact with at least everyone immediately before the stage.

Shinju cleared her throat. "Some of you may not know what day today is." Her bright smile lit up the room. "Today is Saint Crispin's Day."

Her face turning dour she starts to slowly pace along the stage. "Henry the Fifth, Act four, Scene three. Battle approaches. King Henry and his men are outnumbered by the French five to one. The enemy is fresh, Henry's men are spent. Their doom seems certain. His men wish for reinforcements, wish for peace. Westmoreland, the Earl of Salisbury and trusted military leader advisor to the king, laments that they would need ten thousand additional men. But the King-" Shinju's eyes meet Gendo's, "the king does not despair."

She smiled again and spoke her a gravitas entering her voice that Flins would recognize. "What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin. If we are mark'd to die, we are now. To do our country loss; and if to live, the fewer men, the greater share of honor."

Trying to dampen the pressure, Mikki closed her eyes and drifted away from the pilot's speech, the words becoming indistinct. It got worse. Absent meaning, absent context Mikki was left with tone and force. Battered by Her power, the Angel felt her blood chill.

"That he which hath no stomach to this fight. Let him depart; his passport shall be made. And crowns for convoy put into his purse." Showing her teeth, Shinju waved her arm. "We would not die in that man's company!" Shinju gleefully cried, eying the shivering secretary.

Tokiko looked over "Are you okay?" she asked Mikki.

Mikki focused on her lungs, her stomach, the other organs and tissues that held her spirit. "Yes. Peachy," she eventually stated, crisp, precise. She looked up to see the abomination continue her extroverted performance.

Shinju pulled off her gloves and held out her hands. For those beyond the first row the cameras zoomed in on the scars crossing her palms. "Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.' "

Smirking, Gendo adjusted his gloves.

"Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot. But he'll remember with advantages. What feats he did that day: then shall our names. Familiar in his mouth as household words."

Gendo barked out a little laugh.

"Shinju the Princes, Rei and Kiko, Toji and Yakov, Andrei and Owen, Yubari and Ikari." Her voice speeding up and gaining volume, the Forth child dropped her gloves and raised her arms. " Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. This story shall the good man teach his son. And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by. From this day to the ending of the world!"

She looked down, and demurred. " But we in it shall be remember'd. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers." Eyes tearing, she turned and faced Kiko who strode onto the stage.

"For he to-day that sheds his blood with me," Kiko said in sync with Shinju.

"Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile," Toji stated alongside the duo.

Placing herself alongside the others, Rei added her voice completing the quartet. "This day shall gentle his condition."

Shinju stepped in front of the others. "And gentlemen in Japan now a-bed. Shall think themselves accursed they were not here. And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks. That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day!"

Starting from the guards on the edge of the room a wave of applause raced towards the stage, and the front row. Nodding, Shinju basked in the accolades, while Mikki held her skull and winced at the noise.

Pushing out the ovation, which grew louder as more and more stood up and began to cheer, Mikki tightened her breathing. "I suppose this makes me Montjoy then," she gasped out with a manic grin.

"The herald of the French king?" Gombe clicked his tongue and laughed. "You give me too much credit."

After watching the Pilots take their seats next to Nerv's senior staff, Mikki lowered her head. "Yes, of course, Sir."

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Standing in the elevator Kiko rolled her shoulders and whipped her neck to one side, twisted then flipped her head back.

Hearing a metallic snap followed by a heavy clunk, Toji winced. "You okay?"

Pupils dilating, Kiko flexed her jaw. "Just slept funny last night."

"Oh, I thought it was due to all that standing at attention during the ceremonies yesterday." Toji twisted his own neck. "I don't get how you can do all those speeches."

"Not like we have a choice," Kiko grumbled. "And Princess likes it."

"She's been doing this all morning." Katrina leaned on a side wall and watched the two pilots.

"Yes, yes, you already went off and told my Father about it."

"Wait... sleeping funny? How's that happen?" Toji asked.

Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"What, did you get plugged in wrong?"

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Kiko sighed.

"That's what happened wasn't it?" Toji asked following the gynoid and gauds out of the elevator.

"It's embarrassing, okay." Kiko hissed.

"Why? So, you had a bad night's sleep. It happens." Toji shrugged. "I had a bad dream last night. An angel attacked and you all went off to fight it, leaving me to give that weird Henry speech."

Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing too scary, I was naked. Then Doc Akagi started asking me questions while doing weird medical tests."

"Rookie, that part actually happened, to all of us. Well not me, technically, I'm already nude."

Toji opened his mouth. Then seeing Kiko's smug expression slowly closed it. He turned to Katrina. "This is a trap, isn't it?"

"You avoided staring at her crotch, however you did look at her chest."

"But I didn't say anything stupid! That was quite the opportunity, but if I were to say anything, I'd probably have to fear for my balls. And that's not counting what Hikari would do to me."

"Yes, good for you." Kiko tapped her heel in annoyance; she then spun around and resumed walking down the corridor.

Rubbing his chin for a moment, Toji ran to catch up to Kiko. "Well, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You've had bad dreams right? I mean there's been plenty of stuff in your life to give you nightmares. Oh..."

Kiko narrowed her eyes. "Yes, thanks for reminding me."

"Sorry, is it bad?"

Looking down, Kiko watched her legs neatly march forward, her feet clanking on the floor. "No... not really. Actually..." She blinked.

"What? You don't dream anymore?"

"No." Kiko shook her head.

"You do dream?"

Kiko nodded.

"So what's the 'No, not really' part about?" Toji asked.

"Nightmares." Kiko stopped and closed her eyes. "I can... " She swallowed. "I remember. The moment when the plug failed; the acid. Pain."

Her choker slowly shifted, yellow splotches forming and quickly overtaking the green. "My body burned, but then it started to dissipate. Numbness mixed with throbbing, gnawing pain. That was the second worst moment in my life, and I can remember just as clearly now as when I woke up."

"But, you don't have nightmares?"

Kiko's lips twisted in a smile while her eyes looked out flatly. "Not a one."

"Really? Isn't that a bit strange?"

"Personally, I take whatever little blessing I can get." The gynoid gave a hollow laugh and her choker started to transition back to green.. "I may sleep in an LCL-filled tube, but I don't have to relive... that."

"What do you dream about then?" Katrina asked.

Kiko stopped. Again her pupils dilated, especially the double trios of smaller secondary ones. "Nothing much," she said, her voice distant. "It's... repetitive, but normal. Mostly you guys, Princess, the Commander, Wondergirl, Ice Queen, Ritsuko... Father."

Toji frowned, while Katrina's pensive expression was quickly concealed.

"What? Isn't that normal?" Kiko demanded.

Looking into her alien, orange eyes, Toji shook his head. Feeling his stomach twinge, he was reminded of Kiko smashing concrete with her fist and Shinju idly staring at him, knife in hand.

"Well." He cleared his throat. "It's kind of normal. I mean you are having dreams, and they're not some sort of freaky robot dream."

"Robot dream? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, electric sheep, calculating pi, killing all humans. Standard stuff," Katrina waved her hand.

Kiko laughed. "Trying to reinforce my humanity?"

"Well, I do have to guard your wellbeing," Katrina shrugged with mock flatness.

"Yes, everyone cares about me."

"Well, you are a valuable commodity," Katrina said as they approached a set of armored doors. Written above the door-head was: Test Chamber 16.

The twin steel doors slid back, revealing a short passageway that connected to a room large enough that the side walls and ceiling were not visible.

After stepping into the test chamber, Toji looked up, and up. It was a vast multi-story cubic chamber. Polished, square white tiles, five feet to a side covered the walls and ceiling. Some sections' tiles had been removed and replaced with doors, and further up the wall, with observation windows. Several block-like grey cubes were scattered about the room. A few folding chairs were in the center of the room, their scale and lines incongruent with the rest of the chamber.

Toji shrugged; compared to the rest of Nerv's equipment and facilities, this was mundane. The Ayanami sisters were sitting down while Ritsuko, wearing spiral-patterned goggles paced behind them.

The scientist looked up. "Ah, good." She nodded to Katrina and the officer's men. "You can go now. This meeting will be Nerv only."

Raising an eyebrow, Katrina nodded.

After the Russians had filed out of the room, Ritsuko waved a gloved hand and the doors locked shut.

"You're really getting attached to those things," Misako grumbled.

"So, what weird training are we going to do in this room?" Toji asked. "Maybe we'll learn another play. That thing Shinju did yesterday killed."

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "I suppose we could study Faust."

"We're bringing Rookie into this?" Kiko asked. "But he's-"

Ritsuko twisted her head to face the gynoid,.

"Reminds me of Father," Kiko muttered, recoiling at the goggles

Sighing, Ritsuko made some motions with her hands.

Kiko cocked her head, hearing a barely audible whine. Warnings popped up on her internal display. "Oh look... my radio's out."

"Radio?" Toji asked. "It even works down here?"

"Repeaters," Kiko sighed.

"Yes, that's about right." Ritsuko pulled her goggles off and flipped a switch on the side.

"So, what are you telling Rookie then?" Kiko asked, blinking away the warnings on her HUD.

Ritsuko sighed. "Yes, yes, he's being cleared," she glanced over at Misako who raised a blue eyebrow.

"Crap," Toji stepped back. "This is because I've got my own Eva right?"

Ritsuko blinked. "Actually, yes."

Nodding, Toji made his way to the chairs and sat down, across from Shinju. "They do something like this after you got your Eva?"

"I talked with the Commander and got a hug," Shinju smiled.

"Ah, so long as he doesn't hug me," Toji shook his head.

"As if that's going to happen," smirked Kiko.

"So, what's this about, Doc?"

"It's about them," Ritsuko waved at the Ayanami. "And something they share with her," she pointed to Kiko.

Looking between the sextet of crimson eyes, Toji swallowed. "Er?"

"Er, indeed." Ritsuko chuckled to himself. "You see, Kiko was... constructed using Unit 02. The Ayanamis, on the other hand, used genetics that were later used to create Unit 01."

"Stupid cheating clones?" Kiko grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Clones?" Toji looked between the sisters and sighed. "Oh, gee. Everyone's part Eva then?"

"Excepting yourself," Ritsuko chuckled.

"How come Kiko's well..." Toji's question trailed off.

Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"They're clones, genetically modified and artificially grown." Ritsuko sighed. "The Ayanamis were born this way. They were half human from the start. Take Rei, you've known her for years. Where Kiko had to be rebuilt surgically and has a higher proportion of Evangelion components."

"Cheating clones," Kiko repeated.

Shinju pouted.

"And the different ages?" Toji asked. "And wasn't Captain Ayanami born before the Impact?"

"Why yes, she was," Ritsuko lied.

"Is she a Pilot?"

"Not terribly well. You've eclipsed her synchronization rate. Her progress has been very slow."

"Thanks Rits, way to treat me like a science experiment."

"You are one."

Misako crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared.

Ritsuko shook her head. "Anyway each subsequent clone was tweaked to synchronize better. That's why Shinju is such a natural."

Shinju smiled, partially aware of the depth of Ritsuko's prevarication.

"That doesn't make any sense! Misako would have had to have been born before the Second Impact. Before we even knew about the Angels, and for Rei to have been modified you'd have had to have had Evangelions right after the Impact."

"You mean Nerv's been lying to us?" Kiko placed a hand to her cheek in shock.

"Yeah Rits, tell him about Katsuragi Expedition," Misako smirked.

"Is such detail necessary?" Rei asked, breaking her silence. "I doubt Warrant Suzuhara would accept the explanation his clearance allows."

Ritsuko sighed and leaned on a cubic crate. "Look, Nerv had predecessor organizations, and those organizations also have predecessors. Top men, knew about the Angels and were working to stop them."

"And the Second Impact?"

"Clearly they failed," Ritsuko laughed, while Misako glared. "One of those precursor organizations was publically known as the UN Artificial Evolution Laboratory; its real name was Gehirn. The Ayanamis, the Magi, and the Evangelions were their primary developments. My mother, Sub director-Fuyutsuki and... others worked on those projects. Compared to the Evas, the clones were easier to build. That's why it took much longer to get a functional Eva prototype, not to say that there haven't been a lot of failed prototypes over the years."

"I can see building Evangelions but why the clones?"

Ritsuko smiled. "Part of it was the cover name. They really were trying to figure out the next stage of human evolution. Though the real purpose was to ensure that they'd have someone who could Pilot an Evangelion. Hence using human and Evangelion DNA to produce a series of clones." The scientist waved to the trio.

"It wasn't until Rei that we were sure we had a functional pilot and unit. And even that was... buggy." Ritsuko then snickered. "But it wasn't needed. Turns out we didn't need clones, normal humans could Pilot, right Asuka?"

"The universe has a sick sense of humor," Kiko sighed.

"Yes, yes. We even had another Child, but the Third died before we could see if he could pilot. Hence, activating Shinju." Ritsuko explained.

"If you were so worried about having enough pilots why not make a boatload of 'em? Also why wait on testing Shinju? What was this an attempt to fit some genre theme?" Toji waved his arms." Were Kensuke's rantings right? Do weird girls always come in groups of three, one 'standard' age for the potential audience, one younger, one older?

"And what the heck is it about three? Five's a good number. Five's a goddamn great number. That'd also keep you from having shortage issues."

"I somehow doubt you picked that number at random, Fifth Child." Kiko smirked.

"Good to see I'm not too subtle for ya."

Ritsuko pinched her nose. "Clones are expensive, temperamental things. Especially ones that have been genetically engineered to pilot giant war machines; war machines that are even more expensive and limited in number. Too many clones would be a waste of money. And be extremely difficult to explain."

Rei frowned while Shinju pouted again.

"Nice to see you care," Misako smiled at the scientist.

"And Nerv tried to give them normal, stable lives. That's why we held off on Shinju's testing, and why Misako was made an officer. The commander himself raised Rei."

"Wow... he raised the normal one?"

"I'm as shocked as you are." Kiko nodded. "I thought he'd have screwed anyone up further..."

"Why all the lying? Why not just tell the truth?" Toji asked.

"The truth." Misako laughed. "In Nerv?"

"Yes, Nerv should openly admit to human experimentation, and cloning." Ritsuko laughed. "Oh and knowing about the Angels before the Second Impact. People are already freaked out enough about the Evangelions. Sure, that'll go over great."

"Kiko's publicly known. We just had a big expo to show her off." Toji countered.

"That is annoying," Kiko conceded. "I get shown off like a new car, but we have to pretend that a bunch of blue-haired albinos are perfectly natural sisters."

Ritsuko sighed and reached into her pocket for her lighter. "The procedures conducted on Asuka were prosthetic not premeditated. She was injured; we rebuilt her. The Ayanamis were built out of whole cloth."

"Would people care?"

"Science is a touchy issue." Ritsuko pulled her hand out of her pocket, but left her cigarettes and lighter in place.

"Only when you take it to crazy levels like this," Misako reminded. "Cyborgs, clones, artificial intelligence, giant military robots, this is all pretty scary stuff."

"Speaking as another abomination of science, she has a point," Kiko allowed. "You going to tell him the rest Doc? He is in the training room."

Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. He's cleared for the AT fields."

"AT fields?" As Toji spoke, his quizzical expression slowly shifted into shock. "Oh no, part Evangelion." He twisted to look at Kiko. "Is that what you were doing when you got angry at me?"

Kiko smiled wistfully. "Yeah."

"I thought that was just your super-strength."

"No, they've put governors on the real fun stuff." Kiko frowned.

"You'll tear yourself apart," Ritsuko sighed.

"Yeah, yeah." Kiko said.

"AT fields then? Without an Eva? That's... something else." Toji whistled.

"Sure, at the cost of my batteries I can make a pretty little shield."

"Little? It's an AT field!" Toji cried.

"Given her power limitations it isn't' nearly as strong as a full sized field."

"Yeah, there's a reason Evangelions need to be plugged in. AT fields use a lot of juice," Kiko sighed.

"And the Ayanamis? They don't have batteries." Toji frowned. "Do they? Can they make AT fields too?"

Ritsuko nodded.

"No batteries, they can pass as human," Kiko sneered. "Stupid buggy clones."

"Buggy?"

"Both the Ayanamis and Kiko require medication to help manage their biology. As for batteries..." Ritsuko smirked. "The Ayanami have even less capacity for their AT fields."

"Why have AT fields? If it doesn't last very long? Were you trying to make super soldiers?"

Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "We didn't plan on AT field powers. Those abilities emerged recently. It's a side effect of being part Evangelion, and from generating AT fields within an Eva. Our goal was to build pilots, not infantry."

"So, will this affect me?" Toji glanced at his gloved hands. "Will synchronizing do anything to me?"

"Definitely not, you're still human."

"So sure?" Misako smirked. "You didn't expect us to get these powers either."

Ritsuko shrugged. "Well based on Asuka's performance, not for a few years at least. Beyond that, no data."

"That was just training. If you count combat time Asuka's got a bit less than Rei," Misako reminded.

Shinju turned to Rei. "Oneechan, when did you start to exhibit those powers?"

Rei blinked and looked to Ritsuko.

"Shortly after Kiko did," the blonde said. "So, it could be related to combat stress. Just, great." After sighing, Ritsuko forced a smile. "Congratulations Fifth Child!"

Toji winced. "Damn."

"You just volunteered for another series of tests. While I don't think a normal human would get altered by his Eva, it's definitely something we'll have to keep an eye on."

"This must be that new definition of 'volunteered' I've been hearing about lately."

"Nah, it's just like how you volunteered when the Commander asked you to be a pilot."

"Or how like I volunteered," Kiko smirked.

"You don't hear the clones complaining about their lack of choice do you?" Ritsuko asked.

"Rits..." Misako smiled through her teeth. "It's a bit demeaning to call us 'the clones.' "

"She calls me robot too," Kiko pouted.

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Iry paced around the living room set which seemed to hang in a vast expanse of nothingness. Eventually, she stopped and tapped the toe of one of her high heeled boots impatiently. Quickly, she grew bored with that and slumped onto the couch.

She put her feet up on the table and looked at her wrist. The humanoid representation sighed and pinched her nose. "A watch would be handy... or at least a bound scale of causality."

She looked behind the recliner opposite her and a tall, thin wooden frame appeared. It was then paneled and fronted in glass. Brass gears, springs, and bells coalesced above the frame and assembled themselves.

The machinery was then covered with a clock face and had hands attach to the central shafts. A small wooden enclosure formed around the mechanism, which was then linked with a long brass pendulum. Springs were wound, the pendulum was set into motion, and the clockwork began to tick away.

Iry smiled at her work, but after what appeared to be a couple of minutes of calm ticking returned to her bored slump. "Well... now what?"

"Boredom, pride... time?" A voice behind Iry laughed. "My, someone's being very anthropocentric today."

"Shall we discuss your activities, Dear Sister?" Iry asked without turning her head around.

"Jealousy, too?" Stepping into Iry's view, Mikki shook her head. Following a step behind her were two others.

One had a somber expression that clashed with her riotous green and orange paisley dress, bright crimson eye shadow, and long green hair. The other was shorter and bore an expression of wonderment that was equally incongruent from her starched and prim black dress. It had white buttons, sleeves and cuffs but they only served to highlight the inky darkness of her clothing. Her hair was cut short to about her neck and the off-white tresses bounced about as she moved.

"Who are you?" the darkly-dressed girl asked, running up to Iry.

Before Iry could reply the girl's attention had gone to Mikki's chair.

"What is that?" She then turned to the clock. "Oh, what's that? That thing has numbers on it!" she happily cried.

Iry turned to Mikki. "Sister?"

The auburn-haired Angel laughed. "Oh don't mind her. Leli just woke up and she's very excited."

"Ah," Iry turned to the other girl who was watching Leli's antics with bemusement. "And this must be... Saha?"

The girl in the paisley-patterned dress nodded.

Apparently bored with the clock, Leli's attention returned to Iry. "What's wrong with your legs?"

Iry looked down at the high heeled boots that went to just under her knees. "They're shoes."

"Why?"

Iry saw Leli's own feet were bare. "Ah..."

"She raises a good point," Mikki smirked.

"No, she doesn't," Iry crossed her arms over her chest.

A frown flickered across Mikki's face. "You seem perturbed," she observed, taking her chair, across from Iry.

"How perceptive of you. All your time among humans must have honed your ability to read expressions."

Behind her glasses, Mikki's gray eyes glinted. "Well, I've learned how to read humans."

"Humans sound interesting," Leli added as she sat down next to the table and started examining one of its legs.. "What are they like?"

"Emotional." Mikki smirked. "Clever in their way."

"Given they've managed to defeat us at every turn," Saha remarked leaning on the couch.

"Yes, it's not like one of us could simply walk into the Geo-Front and free mother." Iry smiled, showing her teeth.

Mikki's eyes flashed red for a moment. "That was business."

Iry rapped the table. "I just find it odd. Here we had a room full of pilots, both of the abominations and the soul killers, their military leaders, and their head scientists. Not only that but all four of the abominations were just outside." Iry closed her eyes and her voice slowed. "And you did nothing."

"As you said, they had all the Evangelions. They were prepared for an attack. What could I have done? Gone out in a blaze of glory, sacrifice myself in the hope of weakening them? Setting them back wouldn't have freed mother."

Iry stared. ""Maybe Mattie should have known that, or Ramie, or the rest." She narrowed her eyes. "What game are you playing, Dear Sister? Are you saying that your life is more important than ours?"

Mikki straightened her glasses. "Mother's life is more important than ours."

Iry laughed. She looked over her shoulder up at Saha. "So, you're next?"

Saha nodded.

"I'm not sure I like your attitude." Mikki glared at Iry.

"Well, you shouldn't have tempted me with knowledge. Are you going to send Saha out alone?"

"Oh? Are you offering to help again? Maybe be a bit more involved this time? Actually fight instead of run away?"

"At least I hurt the enemy, instead of clapping as they showed off a parade of perversions of mother's flesh." Iry spat. "Maybe you're waiting for them to perfect harvesting our sister's corpses. That way you can enjoy champagne and little sandwiches as they show off a human that they've endowed with mother's flesh and the Fruit of Life."

The blonde angel giggled. "Is that it? Did you give up on saving Mother and decide to let the humans build their own?"

Ignoring Leli, Mikki sighed "Iry, Iry, Iry."

"What? Tell me I'm wrong." Iry turned to her sisters. "What do you think? Doesn't it seem crazy that the eldest of us managed to penetrate the humans' lair and did... nothing?"

Saha froze, and her image flickered. For a moment, she appeared as she actually was. "Well, it is odd, but Mikki had to have a reason for it," she said straightening her long green hair.

"Maybe she was curious." Leli absently said as she poked the couch.

"To prepare for the next party she gets invited too?" Iry shot back. "I know all about the Geo-Front. What could you learn by actually going there?"

Her ire sublimating, Mikki snickered. "You have to consider the human factor. There is more to them than blueprints and databases."

"Yes, there's imbibing dilute ethanol, consuming portions of monocot seeds and actinopterygii muscular tissue,acipenser gueldenstaedtii ova, and let's not forget the theobroma seeds."

Leli tilted her head. "What's that?"

"Drinks, sushi, caviar and chocolate." Mikki sighed.

"Oh?"

Mikki shook her head. "Look what you did. Now she's interested in human food."

"Yes, one of us walking among humans. Heaven forbid."

Mikki clenched her jaw. "You're awfully close to insubordination."

"Coming from someone who would rather party with humans than save mother, I'd take-"

Mikki's eyes flashed red. Iry found herself shoved forward, slamming into the coffee table which collapsed as its legs snapped off. An orange AT field shimmered over Iry's back as the girl struggled to pull herself up.

Brushing her hands, Mikki stood. "Inexperience breeds arrogance."

"And what does experience breed? Complacency? Even more arrogance?" Iry stilled herself and waited for the pressure to be released.

"Can't you trust that I'm working in our best interests, or are you so short sighted and suspicious that you... what? Do you suspect me of treachery."

Iry giggled.

"Is she okay?" Saha asked.

"Maybe this is how we're supposed to act," Leli ventured.

Iry's laugher increased.

"Stop it! You're ruining them!" Mikki screamed as her AT field flashed brighter. Iry's face was pressed against the floor, scratching her forehead.

"Hah!" Iry gasped. "You've done more to hurt your own kind than Nerv and the Russians combined."

"It's not my fault they died! And I've killed plenty of humans."

"Our sisters, Mother's children still died." Iry tried to lift her shoulders. "What are you going to do about it?"

Lifting her glasses, Mikki rubbed her eyes. The AT field vanished.

Smirking, Iry drew herself to a crouch and wiped her forehead. Looking at the mix of blood and sweat she blinked and looked down at her tattered dress. "Will Saha get the same level of support? Helping Mattie was a good start, but hardly sufficient."

"There are three of you." Mikki sighed.

Iry looked to Leli who was carefully examining one of the table-legs. The white-haired angel pried off a thick splinter and after feeling it between her fingers put one end in her mouth and bit down.

"Yeah, we'll do just great." Iry coughed

Mikki rolled her eyes. "There are more of you to be found, and we can afford to bide our time."

"Why didn't we?"

Mikki pinched her nose. "Yes... that's what I'm trying to say."

"Ah. It only took seven of us dying for you to figure that out."

"Israfel was the first one of I found. I was too late for the others, they had already attacked, and can you really blame Sandi on me? The humans sought her out, they killed her well before she was ready."

"She should have been better protected."

Mikki smiled thinly. "Yes, we did learn that."

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"Who's a puppy?" Shirane gushed as she tried to pick up Flins.

Smiling, the dog bonelessly flopped over and leaned on the dark-haired girl. Flins stretched out his head and tried to lick her.

"Good boy; good Flins." Shinju soothed, petting the animal. She sat on the couch, next to Shirane with the heavy puppy between them.

"He's too cute." Nozomi sat on the coffee table in front of them and outstretched her hand, which was dutifully sniffed and licked.

"He's a good pup," Shinju agreed patting him on the head.

Rei looked up from her book and watched the puppy before resuming her reading.

Flins rolled back onto Shinju's lap lying on her ruffled skirt.

"Any problems housebreaking or chewing?" Shirane asked.

"Not really. Lieutenant Flyorov seemed to have the basics down, but I had to correct Flins... after he ran off with something." Shinju blushed and adjusted her hairband.

"Ah, my brother seems to be warming up to Lev. I think he's relieved that his Russian isn't so... scary."

Nozomi eyed Shinju's hair band, specifically one of the big, puffy bows that adorned either side of the girl's head. The right one seemed to have little bite marks on it. "Shinju... what did Flins run off with?"

Shinju's blush brightened. "He brought it back when I asked. No, when I ordered him to."

"Ooooh, did you use your scary voice?" Shirane teased.

"Yes, she did," Rei noted.

Shirane laughed.

Pouting, Shinju stopped petting and Flins opened his eyes.

Nozomi coughed. "You can be pretty scary Shinjuko."

"You have killed five Angels," Shirane added.

"But I'm cute..." A sad whine edged into Shinju's voice.

"Oh, now you protest that you're cute?" Shirane laughed. "When you first arrived you weren't nearly as adamant about it."

"When she first arrived she didn't wear stuff like this." Nozomi waved at Shinju's lacy, lavender dress. "Or wear pearl earrings and a choker full of cute little charms."

"You suggested this dress," Shinju's pout grew.

"Only because you look so cute in them."

"Aren't you worried about Flins shedding on it?" Shirane asked.

"Brushing him helps. See." Shinju reached to an end table and picked up a brush. She then ran it through Flins' fur. The puppy smiled and rolled over on his back.

"Awww," Shirane cooed as she rubbed the puppy's belly.

"Well, I suppose you already spend plenty of time brushing your own hair," Nozomi allowed.

Shinju smiled slightly.

"So, how was training today?" Shirane asked.

Shinju blinked.

"Oh. Was it secret Nerv stuff?"

"As opposed to what?" Nozomi asked.

"Well, secret Azazel stuff?" Shirane shrugged. "Maybe it wasn't secret. It could have been another photo-shoot."

Shinju looked down and brushed Flins' side. "You're a good dog. You don't ask me burdensome questions."

"I'm just asking. Toji seemed a bit... distant today."

Shinju shrugged.

"Well, dark existential revelations tend to do that." Rei lowered her book.

"Ooooh." Shirane grinned. "Now you've got to tell us!"

"No." Rei resumed reading.

"No fun." Shirane pouted. "Shinju?"

The younger clone shook her head.

"Meanie."

"Careful," Nozomi warned as she patted Flins. "You know if you keep pushing her, she'll get sad and cry." She paused in thought. "And then she wont make us cake"

"That can't be!" Shirane cried. "That's a lie! We were promised cake."

Lowering her book, Rei arched an eyebrow and exhaled sharply.

"It is a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake," Shinju smirked lightly.

"So you're going to bake one?" Shirane grinned.

"Which recipe?" Nozomi asked.

"I was thinking of a Black Forest for Kiko, but that will take a while."

"Can't you modify the recipe a bit? Make it quicker to bake?"

Shinju tilted her head. "You have to do the cooking by the book. You can't be lazy."

"Fine, fine. Don't get all crazy about it." Shirane sighed.

"You know... Kiko does love cake." Nozomi allowed. "So if you want to make her some comfort food."

"What's wrong with her? She need some cheering up." Shirane asked.

"If she needed cheering up her dosage could be adjusted," Rei stated.

Shinju nodded and lifted Flins up off her lap.

After a brief frown, Flins jumped off the couch and followed Shinju to the kitchen.

"Awww, you've got a little shadow," Shirane smiled.

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"What's this?" Leli asked peering over Saha's shoulder.

The green haired Angel frowned and looked to Iry.

Iry sighed. "It's a map." She explained as she smoothed the representation of a map on the representation of a table. She pointed to some of the glowing dots on the map. "Target locations."

Saha grinned. "Mikki's idea?"

Again, Iry sighed. "Yes, but I researched the locations. Saha, you'll need to strike simultaneously."

"To prevent them from alerting the others?" Leli asked, leaning over and staring at the map. She tapped one of the dots and scanned the information that popped out.

Iry's face brightened. "Actually yes. Do you understand, Saha?"

The garishly dressed Angel nodded. "But how does this all get Mother back?"

Clapping, Iry cracked a grin. "Very good! Well, to be honest, it doesn't."

Saha frowned at the scattered targets.

"Not directly at least," Iry added. "The goal is to weaken the enemy and Mikki's idea is that attacking these targets will weaken their ability to mount a resistance on subsequent attacks."

"So, she's not trying to save Mother?" Saha set her jaw.

"I know; you want to run right in and attack the humans and their abominations. We all feel that way, but... we have to fight smarter."

"But you don't think this is fighting smarter," Leli happily noted as she lifted up a corner of the map.

Iry closed her mouth.

Saha ran her hand over the map's surface. "This is a poor representation. It's flat; it has no depth, it ignores the curvature of this planet."

"Yes, yes, it's only a model." Iry rolled her eyes. "This is to get you familiar with the scale of what Mikki wants from you."

"It's easy to make one with depth," Leli folded her hands and within her fingers a a miniature of Japan formed. "See and we can zoom in on the targets." She flicked her fingers and the model shifted forming a scale model of the center of the main island of Honsho.

"That's very good," Iry said nodding in thought.

"You're map is good though," Leli blushed. "For your purposes it shows the locations. Mine's really too much."

"Can you make a more detailed simulation?"

Leli nodded.

"Good, we'll talk in a bit about something I had in mind."

Saha shrugged and went back to the flat map. "So I take out these targets, what next?"

"The first round should get the human's defenses exposed, or at least deployed. Currently the plan is for me to maintain a communications blackout while you target their assets."

Grinning, Saha nodded. "And then I can attack their base myself and save mother?"

Iry frowned. "Well, I wanted Leli to do that job. She would enter while you covered her back and took out any counter-fire."

"And what does Mikki want. I mean what will happen?"

"Mikki considers Leli too inexperienced and is worried about deploying her now."

Leli pouted. "I'm further along than Sandi was!"

"Not by much, and it took just two abominations to kill her." Iry shook her head. "We should be waiting. That way Leli will be mature, and we can all benefit from more experience."

"We must rescue mother," Saha stated. "The enemy is getting stronger."

"Patience would benefit our numbers and skills." Iry glanced at the map. "Yes delaying gives the enemy more time, but we control the tempo. Except for the attack on Sandi, we've attacked at moments of our choosing, and I've been thinking about... training."

"The enemy is looking for us. They've been studying our dead." Leli pulled the map to one side.

"We only need to win once. Once we get Mother, that's it." Distant, Iry's voice lacked conviction. "All going off half-cocked does is get us dead."

"Nope." Leli rolled the map up and studied the cylinder. "They get our dead. They learn. They make themselves more like us." Unrolling the map, her eyes brightened as the ends curled slightly. "You modeled this well!"

"Well, I'm sure you can model it better," Iry smiled.

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Entering Gendo's office, Fuyutsuki frowned. A light barking came before him and a smallish brown ball of fuzz raced towards him. Confused, he looked up and saw a pale girl in a ruffled and lacy dress sitting on the corner of the Commander's desk. Her crimson eyes were contemplative as the barking puppy raced towards him; the dog's oversize paws skittered on the hard stone floor.

"Flins! Sit! Stay!" Shinju sternly shouted. Still woofing, the dog immediately sat down.

At that moment, looking into her face, Fuyutsuki saw the girl's parentage. Then he remembered himself. "And what are you doing here?" he asked, glancing down at the dog, seemingly frozen in place.

Shinju slowly tiled her head, and blinked. "Waiting for Father."

"Ah, I didn't realize the Commander gave you a pass," Fuyutsuki coughed.

"I let her in." Rei said, immediately behind Fuyutsuki.

After suppressing a surprised yelp, the older man slowly turned around to see Rei holding a largish bowl full of water. The clone silently passed him and placed the bowl before Flins who leaned down and started lapping up water.

"So, you're both waiting for the Commander?" Fuyutsuki asked, eyeing the white dress Rei wore. On anyone else it would be plain, on her it was indulgent.

Shinju nodded.

Still kneeling down, Rei put a hand to Flins' back and held it there as the dog drank.

"Good Oneechan!" Shinju cheered. "Get him used to your scent."

Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow. "I'm a bit surprised, you're waiting here. Where's Captain Ayanami?"

"At a strategy session with JSSDF. Discussing proliferation risks of various Eva related technologies." Pouting slightly, Shinju hopped off the desk and walked over to Flins and patted him. "Good boy."

Despite himself, Fuyutsuki smiled at the puppy.

Looking up, Shinju's eyes shone mischievously. "Go ahead, he's safe."

Slowly kneeling down, Fuyutsuki reached out.

Flins sniffed his outstretched arm and sneezed.

The door opened and Gendo Ikari barked out a single laugh. "Really professor? I leave you alone and this is what happens?" He walked past Fuyutsuki and absently ruffled Flins's ears. Making it to his desk, Gendo took his chair.

Shinju quickly scooped up Flins and carried the bulky puppy back to the corner of the desk where she sat down. Rei took the water bowl and placed it on the corner opposite Shinju.

"How was the meeting?"

Ikari smirked. "The old men were as short-sighted as they ever were. Even knowing what they do, they prefer to fortify their own hidey-holes."

"Is this appropriate?" Fuyutsuki's eyes glanced between the clones.

"I am merely complaining about my... superiors." His smirk returning, Gendo folded his hands. "Is griping not the right of all soldiers?"

"Is that what we are now?"

"We are using advanced weapons and trained troops to save the world. What would you call that?"

"Honestly?" Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow.

Gendo chuckled. "We must destroy the Angels."

Shinju nodded in agreement.

"The clones will fight. Even Insana's little project is performing well."

Fuyutsuki saw Shinju beam and even Rei smile knowingly.

"I have no doubts regarding that, but I do have other doubts."

Gendo nodded. "Our path is a treacherous one."

Fuyutsuki locked eyes with Gendo then looked to the two girls flanking the Commander's desk.

Ikari sighed. "Right, girls I'm afraid you'll have to go."

Giving a little nod, Shinju hoped of the desk, her arms full of squirming puppy. She placed Flins on the floor, told him to stay, and ran around the desk and reached over Gendo's chair to hug his side. "Thanks for letting Asuka's father save Kiko!"

Rei raised an eyebrow and watched her clone scamper back to her puppy and followed the small girl out of the office.

"You are shameless," Fuyutsuki said after the door had closed and relocked.

"Loyalty should be reinforced," Gendo stated.

"I suppose it fits; you always were a sucker for the right woman," Fuyutsuki managed to withhold most of his distaste. "Though I am shocked that the child you abandoned for so many years ended up as such a daddy's girl."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Gendo chuckled.

"And thus you take advantage of a poor little clone's daddy-issues. Bribing her with trinkets and dolls and your affection. For shame."

"You had a legitimate concern to raise?" Gendo tapped the desk. "Or did you simply trick me into kicking out my... Pilots."

Fuyutsuki smirked. "It's times like this that I cherish our private moments."

"I am only human, Professor."

"Oh I'm well aware of that." Fuyutsuki looked out the windows at the Geo-Front below. "And that comes to the core of my concern: humanity."

"Dr. Akagi's proliferation concerns?" Gendo asked. "Captain Ayanami is talking with JSSDF and Azazel about that very issue.

"Clones are cheaper to build than Evangelions and easier to conceal and operate, and we have concerns about rogue Evangelions."

"Also an Evangelion requires a Child, Cyborg, Clone, or Dummy Plug."

"All of which are similar at their core, but as you can see proliferation of... trans-humans is a worthy concern."

"It's the AT fields?"

"Such power in a cheaper, smaller platform is a real concern. Just consider what someone, like you, could do with them."

"What would I do?" Gendo folded his hands before his nose. "Well, that depends on what my goal would be. Command decapitation perhaps?

"AT field capable soldiers could tear through any defense short of truly heavy weapons or a similarly capable bodyguard. Which means I would have to stay near the Pilots, at all times."

"Perish the thought," Fuyutsuki's tone was dry but there was a hint of bitter jealousy in his voice.

"A similar decapitation of our science staff is another option." Gendo nodded. "After that the goals become more challenging but no less insurmountable."

"Such as?"

"Sabotage. This facility could be destroyed and without it our work would be that much harder. We designed the Geo-Front to withstand the Angels. Not a conventional force.

"One armed with... special forces could cut through our defenses; we only have four Evangelions, and man-portable nuclear weapons are cheap enough. Such weapons do not have enough power to defeat an Evangelion, and at seventy kilograms they are not easy to lug around. However, once inside the facility they'll do."

"Do you consider it a possibility? I mean really, soldiers with that kind of power?"

"The Special Atomic Demolition Munition or the clone soldiers?"

"The latter, though combining them with the former adds a special chill."

"Professor, the concept you mock is a reality. Consider our own Pilots." Gendo smirked lightly. "You've seen Dr. Akagi's training, compare it with the Azazel training the Pilots receive. Yes, her work is deliberately conservative, focusing on control, but consider the potential."

"What of the Impact? Could it be initiated?"

"And now we come to the strategic goals." Briefly, momentarily, uncertainty entered Gendo's gaze. "Consider our own plans. Flesh of Adam. Flesh of Lilith. Technically neither requires an Evangelion. What is required is to breach Terminal Dogma possessing the correct equipment."

"Such as our pilots?"

"Nigokiko is not complete, a critical component remains to be installed.."

A frown flickered across Fuyutsuki's face. "Meanwhile said component rests in bakelite. What if it gets stolen?"

"It's in a secure location." Gendo held out his palm. "Would you prefer we stored it elsewhere? Terminal Dogma is out."

Fuyutsuki stepped up to the glass wall. "Frankly, keeping both... devices within Geo Front is concern enough for me." Sighing, he looked at the miniature world below.

"Say it was kept in Matsushiro; would that not exacerbate your fears? Placing it further from our grasp."

"I'm just apprehensive."

Gendo smirked. "You always are."

"It's not just the Old Men and the Russians. The Angels are advancing. Our pilots are evolving. The Evangelions, have you considered that they've yet to go berserk?"

"The training is a significant factor. You will remember that Unit 00 did go berserk. Also our pilots have a natural affinity; even the Fifth has been acclimated."

"That's not the berserk I'm worried about. The Second has shown her instability."

Gendo narrowed his eyes. "She has been conditioned."

"And that's kept her sane, but she's still... human," Fuyutsuki smiled lightly. "It wouldn't take much to set her off, the truth perhaps."

"Her mother's death perhaps?" Gendo ran a fingertip along the table. "Yes, learning that you've become in body and soul your mother's murderer and warder."

"That's only part of it; we have built an empire of lies."

"Measures are in place." Gendo eyed the picture on his desk.

Fuyutsuki shook his head. "And what are we doing to ensure such measures are not needed?"

"I have been avoiding her."

"You're serious," Fuyutsuki blinked.

"Why should I unduly antagonize her?"

"So, the same approach as with your son?"

"Lieutenant Diebner is an adequate surrogate and for his quirks Professor Insana is better with her than I am."

"Yes, abominations of science need their love too," Fuyutsuki smirked, looking to the picture-frame on the desk.

Gendo followed his gaze. "It's certainly worked well enough for those three."

"Love? Socialization then?"

"There was a reason we enrolled Rei in school. It was an insufficient measure, but the concept was correct. Have you considered the effect? She is no longer alone, no longer unique."

"She was never unique," Fuyutsuki turned away.

"Indeed."

"Socialization then? Doubtless your plan is to let Azazel and the JSSDF continue their training regime, which provides a group identity, shared experiences and thus strong bonding among the Pilots."

"Why should I get in the way of our rivals doing our work for us?"

"Consider their loyalties. As you said, Diebner is a surrogate mother to Kiko. Kurchatov lets Rei be Rei. And Khariton gave your child confidence."

"Yes?"

"Does this not increase the risk to our own plans? Would even Rei not have doubts when the critical moment came?"

Gendo smirked. "You believe that their emotional bonds will draw them into making the incorrect choice?"

"It is clearly a risk. What of misinformation? What of the truth? Do you think Shinju would destroy all that she knows to please you?"

Gendo raised an eyebrow.

The professor studied the younger man's face. "So, you have considered this then?"

"The concern comes down to trust and choice. If they do not trust us, they will make the wrong choice. For that I will endeavor to make sure their trust is adamantine."

"And if your bond fails?"

Gendo looked to the silver framed picture. "Then the choice can easily be removed. We will alleviate the weight of responsibility from their minds. Such things will no longer concern them."

"You would do that... for them?" Fuyutsuki asked, his voice quiet.

Gendo folded his hands. "I am not without my own... generosity."

After laughing, Fuyutsuki sobered. "Perhaps you're correct. Your child longed for your approval, for your recognition, and you gave it after she became a good little angel-killing clone. Similarly, Rei's obedience is rewarded." He laughed again. "I suppose it's in your favor that they're susceptible to such base conditioning."

"That was rather fortuitous," Gendo admitted with a smirk.

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"Took you long enough," Iry said without looking up from the map pulled out on the table.

Smiling Mikki stepped into the ersatz living room. "Where are the others? What are they doing?"

"Ironic of you to ask that."

Mikki smiled thinly. "Using a colloquial definition now? My, we're adaptive."

Iry ignored the comment. "They're training. Leli has a knack for setting up simulations you know." The dark-skinned angel eyed her elder.

"And your absence?"

"I'm somewhat redundant. Saha can jam communications too. She's more effective on satellites, obviously."

"Obviously." Mikki snickered. "So you decided to let her play with Leli while you brooded over maps?"

"She needs the training. Her accuracy was atrocious." Iry looked over the map and watched as a bright dot zeroed in on a hollow-square.

"Orbital simulation?"

"The equations are simplistic." Iry shrugged. "It's just ensuring the package falls on target, and Leli can simulate those physics easily."

Mikki nodded. "Leli does have a gift."

Iry lowered her head. "Maybe you were right."

"Acquiescence? From my doubting Thomas?" Mikki laughed.

"Holding Leli back from the next battle is probably a good idea. She's quite young and there's so much she could do for us."

"Perhaps we're more alike than we admit."

Iry blinked.

"Clearly I've been rubbing off on you. I learned these... habits," Mikki waved to herself. "-out of necessity, but here we are."

"Yes, here we are."

Tapping her chin, Mikki paced opposite Iry's side of the table. "Leli's illusionary abilities? What, you suggest training simulations?"

Nodding, Iry waited for Mikki's dismissal.

"Good idea." The auburn-haired angel smirked at the blonde angel's shock. "Don't think I'm mindlessly bullheaded; I have my reasons for what I do."

"Then where were you? I know you weren't at... work or playing with your little friends." Iry's voice chilled at the last sentence.

Mikki's smirk grew, revealing her teeth. "I was seeking." She snapped her fingers and an angel in the form of a small girl stepped into sight. She was wearing a frilly yellow sundress tied with orange ribbons. Matching ribbons pulled her long curly strawberry-blonde hair back into a loose ponytail.

Mikki leapt to her feet. "She's... you found her? What about all the others?"

"I had to skip to the end. As the youngest, she was especially vulnerable, remember Sandi."

"Who's Sandi?" the young angel asked, looking up to Mikki.

" An innocent little Angel ruthlessly killed by the humans. This is why I found you and why I woke you up, Armi, because you weren't safe there."

Armi quietly nodded.

"What about Ara or Zeru? Even Bardi."

Mikki shook her head. "Armi was more important. Could you imagine if she fell into human hands? If we're lucky they'd kill her and loot her corpse."

Armi whimpered and tried to curl into a ball or at least pull her hands to her feet.

"You're scaring her," Iry chided, leaning down to eyelevel with Armi.

"I don't want to die. I just want Mother." Armi whimpered, falling into Iry's arms.

"It's okay." Hugging the young Angel, Iry looked up at Mikki. "She's even younger than Sandi was."

Mikki nodded.

"Fortunately, we grow fast."

Mikki raised an eyebrow.

"Well, we do." Standing back up, Iry patted Armi on the head. "Our development cycle is far faster than any human's."

"Yes, there may be issues." Mikki glanced at the young angel then back at Iry.

Iry sighed. "What did you do?"

"How come you always blame me?"

"Because you always do something." Iry rubbed her eyes.

"Hey, if not for my help-"

"We wouldn't have all died at the hands of the humans?"

Smirking. Mikki's eyes flared red. "We're learning, it's only a matter of time before we defeat them."

" 'The general situation was favorable," Field Marshal Haig, Battle of the Somme, the first day." Iry snorted. "At least he tried to use his forces in a bulk to overwhelm; you're sending us 'over the top' piecemeal. Also he managed to drain the Germans of half a million of their best trained men. What strategic loses have you struck?"

Mikki clenched her fists. "For one thing, I've enabled you to become an ungrateful little amateur historian."

"Fitting, being the issue of an amateur general."

The auburn-haired Angel froze. her nails cutting into her palms. "What... what did you say?" She asked, her eyes flashing.

"Amateur." Iry stepped forward. "Dilettante, hobbyist, novice, dabbler, neophyte."

"Ah." Mikki's body relaxed and she let her hands hand loosely. "You really are insubordinate aren't you?"

Armi whimpered. "Why are you two fighting?"

"Just a little disagreement." Iry tried to smile reassuringly before going back to Mikki. "If you wanted mindless drones you could make them yourself. That's what Mattie and Isra did."

"Yes, clearly I don't want that," Mikki said as she knelt down. "It's okay, Armi. Sometimes sisters... fight."

"Please if this were a real fight-"

"I'd have already subdued you and exposed your core?" Mikki completed with a grin.

Armi made a mewling noise and backed off.

"I wasn't talking about you."

"You're scaring her," Iry said, picking up the curly-haired angel. "It's okay. Mikki's just excitable."

Armi nodded and leaned on Iry's shoulder.

"How young was she?" Iry's eyes widened. "Was it really wise to move her?"  
Looking at the two blondes, Mikki set her jaw. "As you said, we grow fast."

"And she was at risk, right?"

"Oh yes, the humans were close to finding her. Well, more stumbling into her, but that was enough for Sandi."

"She was poorly placed," Iry admitted.

"Mother's ways are a mystery."

"Now look at who's being all human."

Mikki tensed for a moment then gave a lazy, languid smile. "You're right. I have to live among them. It... gets to you. You should be thankful; if you had to experience them first hand... the smells, the noise, the pondering, greasy, selfish incompetence..." She shook her head.

" 'The life of man: solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.' The Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes."

"Yes, their species is not without its moments of introspection. Say what you will about my efforts but at least I've removed some commonality with the enemy."

"Our lives are still short, but we are no longer alone." Frowning minutely, Iry absently patted Armi who cooed happily. "We do have you to thank for that."

Mikki smiled flashing her teeth. "I'm glad we've come to an understanding."

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Smiling, Kiko stepped up to the target, gravel crunching under her feet.

"Are your ears still okay? The gunshots aren't too loud?" Katrina asked.

Kiko nodded as a hand idly went up to one of her earblades. "Yeah, the signal filter's working fine." She then straightened her green shooter's glasses and took position, with her back to the target.

Hand resting on the butt of his gun, Toji watched as the gynoid shook her shoulders, and then raised her hands up, palms out. Her revolver, speed-loaders, combat spade, and knife were all supported by the same gun-belt and suspender rig that the rest of the pilots wore.

However on Kiko, the similarity to the "full size" versions of that equipment made her look even more like an Evangelion, albeit one with much sleeker armor and a far more human face.

Looking back, Katrina made sure the other pilots were well downrange of Kiko, which at the moment was before her.. The Azazel officer pressed a few buttons on the metal box she was carrying and then held it near Kiko's head. She pressed a button and a few seconds later the box buzzed.

Kiko's left foot twisted to the side and her right foot lifted and circled around her left, spinning her body a hundred and eighty degrees. As that happened her right hand went to the grip of her revolver. The very moment her right foot planted down she drew the weapon out of the holster, snapped her elbow down to rotate the gun to the horizontal. Then she extended her arm, put her left hand in a support grip and thumbed back the hammer.

The front sight came up against the first target and she fired, thumbed the hammer again and fired again. Two neat nearly touching holes appeared in the heart of the silhouette. Her arms tracked over and she repeated the process on the next two silhouettes.

Immediately after the sixth shot she flipped the lever above the hammer and flicked the revolver open. The cylinder spur extended and the spent casings were flung out. Her left hand had already grabbed a speed-loader, popped the fresh cartridges into the cylinder, and snapped the gun closed.

She extended her arm again and rapidly fired a measured shot into each target's head. Kiko exhaled and slowly holstered her revolver. She turned to Katrina who was looking at the box's display. The device had a microphone that linked with its internal timer.

"Fifteen seconds," Katrina said neutrally.

"Damn," Kiko sighed, picking up the empty speed loader.

"Oh come on." Toji groused.

"You'll do better," Shinju cheered. "If you win you'll get the rest of that Black Forest cake!"

Lev leaned to Toji. "What's wrong? She shot well."

"She's a little bit slower," Toji replied back, trying to keep his voice down, despite the hearing-protectors.

Kiko looked up. "Yes, I am." She held up a hand. "You try shooting with thick armored gloves. Stupid father."

"You're focusing on accuracy, which is important." Katrina said. "You can work on speed with practice."

"Yeah, I guess I should be happy that I've even got hands." Kiko flexed her fingers.

"Really what would you have instead?"

"Grabby claws, tentacles, death rays. Something crazy and stupid." Kiko rolled her eyes. "Damn Angels."

"Don't worry, you'll kill many more," Shinju happily promised as she walked to the targets and used little strips of tape to cover up Kiko's holes.

"I guess you should count your blessings where you can," Toji coughed.

"Oh? You mean like how I'm an advanced cybernetic war machine forced to train with a hundred and forty year old weapons?"

"Evangelions are surgical weapons... by mass destruction standards," Toji sighed. "You're the one that told me that."

Kiko pouted.

"Fine, we'll run some shoot-house drills with your carbines. Will that be okay?" Katrina asked, eliciting a nod from the gynoid. Katrina then reset the timer and turned to Shinju. "Ready?"

Shinju nodded. The buzzer went off and she spun around in a blur. After snap-drawing in one motion, she used her support hand to snap the hammer back and quickly fired all six shots.

Speed loader already in her off hand, she thumbed back the release; the cylinder and barrel rotated forward on the hinge. The retention clasp failed, and propelled by the spur spring the cylinder shot off the gun.

For a split second, red eyes tracked the flying cylinder. She then dropped the gun grabbed her combat knife and in the same extending motion threw the blade into the right-most target. Unsnapping her spade, Shinju sprinted the remaining seven yards and with a long side-arm sweep decapitated the remaining two targets.

Sighing, Katrina manually stopped the timer. "Do you really think that counts?"

After retrieving her knife, Shinju blinked at Katrina. "We're supposed to stay in the fight."

"Very good!" Igor laughed. "Yes, kill them all!" He raised an eyebrow at Katrina. "Things go wrong; did you really expect her to run away when they did?"

Smiling Shinju began to collect the parts of her revolver. She looked at the top-strap and where the retaining lugs for the cylinder had been sheared off. "Would this happen on the full scale model?" she asked, holding the part up to Igor.

Igor's brow furrowed. "Possible, this shouldn't have happened on a small-scale at all. We will need to inform Captain Horaki."

Lev stepped up and blinked at the part. "Doesn't the full scale version use a different retaining system? There's like grooves and a bolted support structure around the axial."

Katrina gave a pitying smile. "We report these kinds of weapons failures. The sad truth is that the full-scale weapons don't get nearly enough field use to shake them down."

"Really?" Lev asked an eyebrow. "They're just artillery pieces, sure they're fitted to be fired by giant robots, but there's got to be some sort of cradle to –well- bench fire them."

Katrina nodded. "There is, and there's even plenty of practice ammunition for the pieces, but that's still nothing compared to the stresses of actually using the weapons."

"Yes." Shinju sadly nodded. "Take Wisky, my original Mark 9; she broke after I used her as a club, poor Dearie."

"You do have BB63, the Mighty Mo, now," Rei reminded.

"Kensuke couldn't stop giggling when he heard that," Toji sighed. "Such a geek."

"Do I want to know?" Adjusting her holster, Kiko eyed him, her orange eyes washed out by the green lenses of her shooting glasses.

Toji shook his head. "No, not really."

Down range, Igor finished repairing the targets, including taping back on two heads. He turned and gave a thumbs up and lumbered away. He walked past the other pilots and to the guarded pavilion just outside the range and opened one of the cases resting on the table.

Lev tapped Toji on the shoulder. "You're up."

"Right, right." Shaking his hands, Toji walked up to the target and turned his back to them.

Lev reset the clock. "Look, I know you're not gonna win, but I think you can beat at least one of them. Shinju had to finish with a knife."

"Gee thanks." Toji sighed before getting into position, with his hands raised up.

The buzzer sounded.

Further up range the other three Pilots watched the drill. "Rookie's getting better, I guess," Kiko allowed.

"Practice," Rei stated as Toji reloaded and finished the shoot.

"Meanies." Hearing Lev shout the time, Shinju clapped her hands. "Adequate job, Toji!"

Turning back from the range, Kiko put her fingers under her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "Princess... you do know that that's not a compliment right?"

"It's accurate," Rei countered.

"You're such a pod, Wondergirl."

Rei tilted her head.

Kiko snorted. "And you, Princess, now you're doing it on purpose."

Lip quivering, Shinju lowered her head.

Snapping the cylinder to his revolver shut, Toji holstered his revolver. "Being mean again?" he asked the gynoid.

"Oh, you're taking her side?" Kiko asked.

"Not really, you being angry and Shinju seeming sad, is the natural order of things."

Kiko narrowed her eyes.

Returning down range, Igor handed Shinju a fresh revolver. "New gun," the bearish man rumbled. "Will replace broken part and give back old gun after report."

Snapping the action open, Shinju inspected the cylinder. As she worked the hammer, her expression brightened. Grinning, she loaded the weapon and holstered. "Thank you!" she chirped in Russian giving Igor a quick hug.

"And how does this fit with your little 'sad Shinju' theory?" Kiko asked.

"Give a little girl a new gun and of course she'd cheer up," Toji shrugged.

Kiko blinked. "You... you don't spend much time around girls?"

"Have you met my sister?"

The gynoid laughed. "Fine, what else?"

"Well, there's training every day with you guys."

Kiko flicked an ear-blade. "Yeah, good influence, Rookie. You do realize that not every girl loves guns."

"Really? Huh." Toji rubbed his chin. "Well... Hikari does get pretty bored when I talk about this stuff."

"See." Kiko said. "Now please tell me you won't bore her to tears tonight."

"She told you about our date?"

"Hikari is my friend."

"You finally asked out Hikari?" Shinju asked.

"Yeah, just a bite to eat and maybe go to the overlook. It's not a big deal."

Kiko snorted. "Wrong. Anytime you go someplace it's a big deal. Well, I guess you could just hang out with her here."

"She was getting a bit annoyed at that." Toji coughed. "Still I'm better than Kensuke's or Shirane's fan-gushing."

"Shirane-chan's still gushing?" Shinju asked as she replenished her speed loaders. "I have been taking her to the range."

Toji exhaled. "Yeah... that's just encouraging her."

Shinju frowned. "Good?"

"Good? She's becoming- she's becoming like us."

"She is your sister," Rei stated putting an arm around Shinju. "Siblings are useful."

Shinju blushed happily.

Toji nodded. "Yeah, so I guess its only a matter of time before she starts sleeping with a gun under her pillow."

Shinju tilted her head. "What kind of wimpy girl doesn't?"

"I don't," Kiko grumbled.

"You sleep in a giant plastic tube."

"Thanks for reminding me, Rookie."

"Just saying... you don't actually have a pillow."

"Yes I do. It's just... waterproof, and bolted to the wall, and has an open slot where my brain prosthesis gets plugged in." Kiko looked down. "Can we stop talking about this."

"Awww sad Kiko-chan," Shinju slipped out of Rei's loose hug and put her arms around Kiko.

"I'm not sad!" Kiko pouted

Igor exhaled. "Yes, yes you happy killing machine. Much like Princess."

Shinju cheered.

"Now, we go back to shooting. Hostage practice."

"Not with live targets. Right?" Toji pleaded.

Holding his belly, Igor laughed.

"Awww, poor baby doesn't want to get shot," Kiko teased.

"Yes!" Toji yelled.

"No, no." Katrina sighed. "You're much to valuable to risk downrange."

"So, we'll just have to wait until battle?" Shinju quietly asked.

"Not helping..." Toji sighed.

Katrina nodded. "I'll talk with Major Osumi for the next wargame."

Toji sighed. "Damn."

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"I guess Asuka, well... I guess Kiko is doing well enough." Catching herself, Hikari frowned. "She seems... is happy the right word? I can't imagine what its like for her, but its not like she had an alternative is it?" Rising from the railing, she glanced at Toji.

Still staring at the sprawl of Tokyo 3 below them, the Pilot absently nodded.

"We're still friends, but I don't know sometimes she seems so alone."

Toji shifted his shoulders causing his loose, untucked shirt tail to print against the sidearm on his hip.

Hikari sighed. "You don't even know what I'm saying."

A smirk flashed over Toji's face. "You're wondering if Kiko is still Asuka. You'd like thinkin' that she was inside all that armor and electronics, but you're afraid that your friend is lost. You might even be a little bit afraid of her, given what she's become."

Hikari exhaled sharply. "So, you're worried too?"

"About her?" Toji stared at the city, watching the cars and trains move about. He looked up and saw the jet contrails that normally crisscrossed the sky; it was all so fragile. He rolled his shoulders again. "No, not really. Like you said, she's got no choice. We've got no choice. I do think she'll do the best she can, if that matters."

"I never thought you'd be so fatalist."

Toji looked over at the Russians that had surrounded them. "Yeah."

"Are things really that bad?"

Straightening up Toji looked down at the freckled girl. "They're-" He closed his eyes. "No... I can't say. You wouldn't want to know anyway."

"My friend's been turned into a mini-mecha. What could Nerv be hiding that's worse?"

Toji laughed.

Hikari's face darkened.

"Er, sorry." he coughed. "Look it's, um, Nerv."

"You see what I'm talking about?" Hikari sighed. "I'm worried about Asuka, I'm worried about you."

Toji shrugged.

"Why'd you even agree to this?"

The pilot clenched his bottom three fingers but kept his right pointer finger held straight. "I told you; we've got no choice."

"Sure the others were trained to this since they were little kids, but you're new at this you could have said no."

Toji laughed. "And what kind of a man would I be?"

"You're fourteen!"

"So? That's plenty old enough to get dumped into the cockpit and be plenty tough. Just look at Kiko and Rei. Hell Rei's twelve-year old little sister can kick my ass." His bitter laugh returned. "They all can."

Hikari nodded. "It's Shirane isn't it?"

Toji set his jaw. "Yup. Old bastard. He knew she'd jump at the chance; he knows little sisters can pilot-"

"Yeah she'd jump at the chance, cheering all the way." Hikari laughed.

"She likes these robots way too much," Toji grumbled.

"I thought you liked yours?" Hikari raised an eyebrow. "You did gush about it's paint scheme and how you don't have to share with Kiko."

Toji flexed his hands. "That's different."

"How?"

"For one, sharing an Eva with Kiko is just freaky. It felt... wrong."

"She is part Eva..."

"Yeah that's it." Toji nodded. "There was too much, er, Kiko. As for the rest. It's cool, scary, but cool. And it's still a thing, a tool you know? To me at least."

"What do you mean?" Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"I guess Kiko doesn't count, with all that talk about Unit 02 being her greater self, and Shinju's about as close with her Eva. It's less creepy when she treats it like it's another giant puppy. Rei's about the only normal one. With her it's a tool; I hope."

"Oh." Hikari tapped the guardrail. "Shinju would be like that. It is a giant purple weapon."

Toji smiled. "Yeah, she's like that. She can be real cute, real scary but cute."

"So, you're afraid of a tiny pre-teen girl?"

"It's Shinju."

"Aww, are the ruffles too much? Or maybe it's her puppy."

"Right, let's ignore the red eyes or her gleeful mayhem."

"Sure, she can be enthusiastic," Hikari's eyes flicked down, "but it's still cute."

"Disarming, infectious."

"You're sounding pretty paranoid."

This time Toji's laugh was bitter. He then waved his hand at the collection of Russians, with Lev nearly at his side.

"And who would she infect? I mean Rei's, well, Rei, and Asuka is... Kiko. Are _you_ worried about little Lolita dresses?"

"Nah, ain't me." Toji snorted.

"Oh," Hikari nodded in understanding. "You know you can't protect your sister from everything."

"My giant robot and platoon of Russian special forces says otherwise."

"Naval Infantry," Lev discretely corrected.

"Right, my mistake," Toji snickered. "Point is I'm not sure I like the influence Shinju has on my sister, on the other hand..."

"Your sister was one of Shinju's first real friends?"

Toji nodded.

"Yeah, Nozomi mentioned that to me. Look, it cuts both ways our sisters are helping Shinju become more normal," Hikari said.

"Aren't they the reason Shinju dresses like some gothic princess?"

Hikari blinked. "Um."

"See!"

Frowning, Hikari looked back out at the city. "What are you trying to say? Should our sisters not be friends with Shinju?"

"Nah," Toji shook his head. "I like Shinju. She's got heart, but she's not normal. I don't know what's happening to us, all of us."

There was a crackle of static as Lev spoke into his radio. He then stepped forward and put a hand on Toji's shoulder. "Warrant, a word please."

Toji's eyes went to Hikari.

"I'm sorry, but this is Pilots only."

"Be right back, babe." Toji sighed and followed Lev away from the observation point and to where the BTR-80s they had arrived in were parked. "What's going on? It can't be an attack, else you'd have thrown me in and stormed off." Toji rapped a knuckle against the armored vehicle.

Lev coughed. "I'm sorry for the deception. but allow me some advice."

"Advice?" Toji followed Lev's gaze, back to Hikari who had resumed looking over the city. "Geeze, you're giving me relationship advice?"

"If you'll call this a relationship." Lev chuckled.

"Oh man..." Toji rubbed his forehead. "None of the other Azazel guys did this."

"They were a bit distant with you," Lev frowned. "Too attached to their own charges."

"No, not that. They didn't give romantic advice to their pilots either."

"Why would they?" Lev asked.

"I dunno, Rei's always reading those girly books."

"True, but she doesn't actually have any prospects, as far as I know, anyway. The only boys in your age group who really stand out are you, and Aida."

Toji laughed. "Yeah, and let's not talk about Kensuke's prospects."

"How serious is your sister's crush?" Lev lightly asked.

"That's enough." Toji rubbed his forehead. "Okay back to me and Hikari. Do you know about relationships?" He asked, noting the absence of a wedding ring on the solid man's hand.

"I was a professional hockey player."

Toji nodded. "Good enough. So, what do you think?"

"Show more interest in her concerns. She's just as worried about her family as you are. That gives her the chance to vent and allows you to support her. She'll realize that you can listen to her and care what you think."

"Yeah, but I don't know how to solve any of that. I'm just as worried as she is!"

"Good. Empathy very seductive. If she believes that you care what she thinks you'll get a lot more latitude with her."

"I do care what Hikari thinks."

"Excellent!" Lev slapped Toji on the back. "Sincerity easier, lies take effort to maintain. The less lying the better."

"I suppose it's best to minimize the secrets I have to keep from her."

Lev nodded. "Such is the bane of our work."

Toji raised an eyebrow. "Was this just some romantic advice? Or is this another little lesson?"

Lev chuckled. "You're getting paranoid."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong." Toji looked back at Hikari. "I suppose it's not as blatant as giving a little girl a giant puppy."

"Size means nothing. Dogs need a dominant, alpha leader; a being who is calm and strong minded." Lev stated. "Unstable humans make unstable dogs. If you lack confidence, a dog will not listen to your commands."

"Right, no hidden motivations at work there."

"Such cynicism in one so young. Is it so unreasonable to envision the Russian Federation giving an allied war hero a simple gift? Must you see shadowy figures and secret plots."

Toji blinked, then snickered. "Wow, you're almost as good at deadpan sarcasm as Rei."

"You'll want to work on that. Easier to stay sane that way."

"So I can be as sane as Rei? Wonderful." Toji sighed. "I guess she is the second sanest Pilot."

"I wouldn't say that around Shinju or Kiko." Lev thought for a moment. "Rei too."

"Great, any other advice?"

"Just remember that it's her problems you're listening too. She's worried enough about you."

"Right the whole Pilot thing," Toji nodded and started walking back to Hikari. He glanced back at the Azazel officer at his heel. "Thanks Lev."

"So? What was that all about?" Hikari asked, tapping her foot.

Toji looked to Lev.

"Just a check back to base and some signals training." Lev crisply bowed his head. "Apologizes for the delay."

Hikari eyed the Russian with his slightly crooked nose and sprawling facial scars. "Yeah no problem. It's important and all."

Nodding again, Lev took a couple steps back, at the very least leaving Hikari's immediate vision.

Toji cleared his throat. "So, you're worried about Kiko? What else is on your mind?"

Hikari glanced at the Russians, specifically Lev. "Kiko's got it the worst, but I guess you're right, I'm worried... about all of you."

"Even Shinju?" Toji asked with mock levity.

"Of course, she's the youngest. For heaven's sake Toji, she's in elementary school. She's going to grow up thinking this is normal."

"For her it is," Toji muttered..

"There's a reason using child soldiers is normally considered a war crime."

"It's not like we have a choice. I mean what's the alternative?"

"Child soldiers or nuclear weapons? Lovely."

Toji smirked. "Besides, you tell Shinju that she's a war crime and she'll cheer."

Hikari laughed. "She would wouldn't she?"

"It's Shinju." Toji repeated. "How are things going with your family? I have a pretty good idea what Nozomi's up to but what about Kodama, she's knee-deep in Nerv too."

Hikari nodded. "Yeah... heading procurement is not fun. She nearly strangled Kiko's father when he gave her a list of all the parts and tools he needed to –um- save her."

"She did get them. Kiko was... built." Toji shook his head.

"Of course, she's Kodama Horaki. Fulfilling mad scientists' demands is her job."

"Don't forget the Commander," Toji laughed.

"He can't be worse than Kiko's father. At least he's not an obsessive nut."

Recalling Ikari's piercing, focused gaze, Toji shrugged. "Sure. Sure."

Hikari raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"They're both very driven. I don't think either has a life outside of their work." Toji glanced back at Lev. "At least Insana's got science, I don't know what's pushing Ikari. I'm not sure I want to know."

Hikari frowned.

Recalling Lev's advice Toji winced. "Sorry for bringing that up. I guess that's just a part of being in Nerv. Everyone is really, really driven: Ritsuko, Kiko, do I even need to mention the Ayanamis? Look at what they've done, look at what they've sacrificed," his voice grew remote.

"What about you?" Reaching out, Hikari took his hand. "Don't sell yourself short. You kept that thing with Kensuke and Kiko from blowing up."

"I didn't want him to get hurt." Toji grinned weakly. "I'll do the job. I'll fight, but..."

"But?"

"But I'm not like them. They're naturals." Toji coughed. "Take the Ayanamis, it's like they were born to fight Angels."

"They were raised by Nerv, Asuka too. Ah." Hikari nodded. "But wasn't all their old training really bad?"

"Sure, that's why I'm not that far behind, but still..." Toji squeezed Hikari's hand back. "Take Shinju, it's like the Commander. Something inside is pushing her. I mean she's twelve years old!"

"Isn't she doing it for her sisters?" Hikari asked. "It's love."

"Yeah, but what about the Commander? You can't tell me that love's driving that old bastard."

Hikari laughed.

"Well, maybe it's good that he's in charge."

"Oh?"

"Sure, Captain Ayanami can get real heated in battle, impulsive even, and Shinju's even worse. Ask Kiko how many times Shinju's shot her."

"Shot at her."

"With an N2 warhead." Toji released her hand and tried for Hikari's shoulder. "And then there's Kiko. She's very spirited."

"You mean angry."

"Not quite." Toji bit his lip. "There's annoyed and then there's angry. I don't think we've seen her truly enraged."

Hikari frowned at his distant words.

Toji gave a weak smile. "All I'm saying is that that emotion needs to be..."

"Tempered? That raw passion has to be channeled?"

He nodded.

"So you think Nerv needs someone cold and calculating in charge."

"Yeah, take your sister."

Looking at how Toji's arm was draped over her shoulder, Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"Err, not the cold stuff, but she is a good influence. Stable, grounded. Just think of how bad it'd be if it were some crazy romantic or grandiose science-nut running things. No, Nerv needs all the help it can get."

Hikari leaned onto Toji. "Well, maybe that's your role. Maybe you can help reign in the Pilots. Temper their passions."

Toji looked down at her and sighed. "Damn."

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Stepping into her bedroom, Kiko eyed the regeneration tube. The open chamber was inviting, tempting. Halfway across the room, she looked down and frowned. A quiet whine escaped her lips.

"Is problem?" Katrina asked, standing at the door.

Reaching the chamber, Kiko slowly ran a hand over the seals on the hatch. "No, I love being stuffed in a tube to get recharged and waxed," she sharply stated.

"Is that why you're caressing the damn thing?"

Kiko pouted. "The drugs, can't forget the drugs."

"Is it really that bad?"

Kiko raised an eyebrow.

"Ah," Katrina nodded. "But part of you likes it?"

"Yes, but not with any real passion."

"So not like cake?"

Kiko smiled dreamily. "Did you have any of Shinju's Black Forrest?"

"Yes, she is a natural." Katrina nodded. "But liking sweets is one thing, this is a tube."

"Part of me is Evangelion. Also, no nightmares." Turning back to the tube, Kiko's expression softened. "Maybe this is how Eva's sleep. Do you think they dream?"

"Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll just get into my tube like a good girl." Kiko's sarcastic tone waned on the last words.

"Should I call your father?"

"Hah." Kiko laughed. "Why, so Daddy Dearest can tuck his little science project in?"

"I was thinking that he could setup a more normal sleeping arrangement for you."

Kiko blinked.

"You told me that he was against this whole regeneration tube thing, that it was Dr. Akagi's and the Commander's idea."

"A bed?" The gynoid smiled dreamily, her choker flashing purple. "Like a giant four poster bed with a canopy, fluffy cloud-like pillows, and layers and layers of soft quilting."

"You're describing Shinju's bed."

Kiko blushed. "It is very comfortable."

"Right, I was more thinking your original bedding. It's just in storage. We could bring it up, if your father approved."

"If." Kiko glared at the tube. "I'm tired, Katrina."

"More than physically it seems."

"That just adds to it." Kiko checked the display screen on the tube. "Today was long like –well- every day. Though Toji did beat me on that last hostage round."

"You did get the best time."

"Sure, by grazing the hostage target." Kiko laughed. "But that's the thing, I'm tired, and I don't want to deal with my father. Not right now."

Katrina walked towards the gynoid. "If you want, I could handle him."

Orange multi-pupiled eyes shimmered in delight. "Would you? Nah... I think killing him would cause more problems than it solves."

"Not quite what I had in mind," Katrina shook her head. "Are you okay?"

Blinking, Kiko looked up from the display. "I'm an abomination of science; I sleep in a tube. So, no. I'm not okay."

"Good, I was worried you were taking all this too in stride." Katrina rubbed her chin. "Though I suppose you get your most apprehensive around bedtime, meals, and when you have to go to the bathroom."

"Please... I really don't like... " Kiko shivered in revulsion. "But thanks for reminding me, about something good the tube does for me."

Katrina nodded in sympathy. "Moments when you feel your most vulnerable, most inhuman."

"Also gross. You've seen what it's like down there, all armor and seals. Stupid crazy father," Kiko muttered.

Katrina coughed. "Yes, well."

"Oh?" Kiko cackled. "Does that make you uncomfortable"

Standing before the regeneration chamber, Katrina studied the device. "It does seem rather personal."

"You've seen that stuff." Kiko raised an eyebrow. "After Rei sucker punched me in the crotch."

"Yes, not something I really want to pry about."

"Not like I have any privacy." Kiko tried to adjust the recharge cycle and frowned. "And it looks like I don't even have full permissions on the software that runs my own stupid tube."

"To keep you from hurting yourself?"

"I'm powered off and cushioned in LCL, this is probably my father's doing," Kiko grumbled.

"Were you trying to turn off the recorder?"

Kiko's bought of bitter laughter degenerated into light sobs. "What's the point? I've got a blackbox running in my own damn head."

"It's okay." Katrina circled back and pulled the gynoid in a one-armed hug.

Kiko leaned her head on the larger woman's shoulder. "I'm not okay; you know that."

This close Katrina could not help but stare at the girl's earblades and other prosthetics. At such an extreme proximity the illusion of humanity was completely shattered. Even her skin had an unnatural sheen and stiffness. "You've got friends; you've got comrades. You have a cause; you have a reason to fight." Katrina tightened her arm, feeling the strangely flexible armor give under her embrace.

Kiko gave a little whine.

"At least there's proof that you're not a robot," Katrina chuckled.

Blinking, Kiko looked up at the blonde. "Oh?"

"Robots don't have existential crises. They don't question their purpose; they don't have all this human baggage. You do."

The gynoid cracked a smile. "So, my flaws make me human?"

"They prove you're more than a machine." Katrina gave another squeeze. "No, if you came out of this confidently obedient and eagerly assured... then I'd worry."

"You're describing Shinju." Kiko lightly laughed.

"And the other Ayanamis," Katrina noted with a slight frown, before turning to Kiko. "Are you okay to go to sleep?"

Glancing at the tube, Kiko nodded.

"You won't have nightmares?"

"I told you, I don't get those." Kiko bit her lip. "My dreams are... normal. Mostly you guys." Slipping out of Katrina's embrace she went to the front of the tube.

Forcing herself to nod in agreement, Katrina helped Kiko into the inclined chamber. She watched as the gynoid's anxiety abate and a sort of serenity passed over her.

Rolling onto her back, Kiko felt her power socket and pharmaceutical supply plug align. The door slid shut and locked into place. As LCL flooded the chamber she leaned back into the soft padding and felt her mind drift. Kiko saw Katrina's remote concerned expression, just before her consciousness cut out.

End Chapter 9

Writer's Notes: I'd like to thank my pre-readers DGC, J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, and Wray. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to.

Pale Wolf was especially helpful, if you laughed at the dialog odds-are that was his doing.

On another note I'm currently working on Return, so after about a year of hiatus you will be seeing another chapter of that fic. Thanks for reading.

Aditional note: Thanks to the comments of Bree R (frice2000) and the rest of the Fukufics commentators I've split the chapter into more manageable chunks. We'll see how this works.


	10. Defects and Acquisitions Part 1

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh "Sunshine" Temple

Here's the disclaimer of non-ownership: Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Team Fortress 2 is owned by Valve. The Spoony Experiment is owned by Noah Antwiler

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Temporary Backup Site.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Ten: Defects and Acquisitions Part 1

The train was short, just an engine and a single passenger car. It had been traveling for over ten minutes in a gently curving tunnel that sloped upwards very slightly. Occasionally, cross shafts perpendicular to the tunnel the tracks revealed a far larger shaft running roughly parallel to the train.

If the passengers of the train had bothered to look out, they would have caught glimpses of large... things slowly lumbering through the parallel shaft. The tunnels diverged and the train slowed down. There were some gentle thumps indicating switching tracks. At the same low speed it navigated a wide right angle turn and then another as it passed through a dogleg. Finally, the train rolled to a stop and there was a series of chimes in the passenger cabin.

"This seems a bit much," Kiko complained as she cradled her carbine. The gynoid clenched her jaw. Her heads-up display indicated that she was once again in range of Nerv's radio repeaters.

Dressed in her plugsuit, Shinju looked up and sheathed the knife she was holding. "Security." She went to her carbine and inspected it. "But yes, your solution would be simpler."

Misako gave a somewhat strained little smile. Checking their gear was a time honored soldiers' tradition, but to see it in girls so young...

"Still, it's a bit much." Kiko shook her head. "We should have just killed the damn thing. It would have been fair."

"Fair?" Shinju asked after reloading her carbine and finishing the check.

"I think it'd take more than one death to balance things out," Misako stated.

"If you agree with me then why are you playing along?" Kiko demanded.

"I know what you've gone though." Misako's eyes narrowed.

Kiko eyed the clone. "Yes, you lived through the Second Impact."

Misako snorted. "I was there."

"Oh... yeah, you were built er... grown... before." The cyborg blinked. "So you were there to stop the Impact? Fight the Angel... what? Clearly the mission failed... right?"

Misako waved the question away. "This is war. We follow orders."

"War," Kiko snorted. "The Angels have certainty figured that out. Not since the Red Army has Germany-"

"It's not just Germany." Misako cut her off. "Everyone got hit. And so what? The Angels want to kill all of us. You know that. What's the difference if they start doing it on the installment plan?"

"This isn't right."

"Not my decision." Misako looked up at one of the cameras in the train car's ceiling. "Come on guys, you know it's us." The clone sighed and crossed her arms.

A couple of silent minutes passed. Then there was a heavy rumbling as the armored door in front of the train slid aside. Remotely controlled in Central Dogma, the train rumbled forward and stopped again. The process repeated and the train surged forward into another tunnel. Unlike before this one was brightly lit and consisted of two tracks running parallel in a large constant arc. After transiting roughly half of the great circle the train stopped at another double set of titanic air-locks.

The last doors opened to reveal a giant chamber half a kilometer in diameter. Compared to the vast six kilometer diameter of the Geo Front this annex facility was much smaller and far barer. Its ceiling was simple, consisting of several radial arches that supported horizontal circular plating. Lacking trees, lakes, or even much in the way of buildings, the Caina Containment Complex had been built for one purpose.

A purpose that Operation Chariot had hoped to fulfill, but after that Angel's premature awakening within Mount Asama, the facility had remained empty with a bare skeleton crew. Recently, that had changed.

Technicians from the Bureau of Technology's First Division had swarmed the facility activating mothballed equipment and repurposing whatever they could find. Several cranes stood still hanging over equipment they had just finished installing. A few others were pulling crates, beams, and anything else that lay within the Exclusion Zone.

Scattered around a set of giant doors to one side of the egg-shaped steel cavity were piles of spare oversize equipment that were being carefully ferried out. Though the arrival of the two Pilots had halted their efforts for the moment.

After clearing through an almost stunned Section Two security detail, Misako, Shinju, and Kiko left the rail-head and boarded a small electric cart to the wire fence that demarked the Exclusion Zone.

Unlocking a simple padlock, Misako laughed. She then adjusted her sidearm and led Kiko and Shinju through. The Nerv guards remained on the other side of the fence, not that it would make a difference. Looking down she shook her head in disbelief. The fence posts were not even bolted to the floor. The whole thing could have been pushed aside.

Her gaze rose and she let her emotions settle. Misako knew that the true strength of this facility did not lie in fences or even thick armored walls. Its strength came via other means. The facility's curving outer wall was studded with a perimeter of slowly rotating pillars. The surface of each was done in dense black tile with bright red trim. The three Nerv soldiers then passed through another, smaller, circle of pillars.

In very center lay the fruits of First Division's efforts. It looked a bit like a steel bottle laid on its side. It sat on a trio of short pylons. Half a flight of stairs took the three women to a gantry that ran level with the "bottle's" neck. They passed through one last pair of thick circular doors. Inside was another bottle.

Wreathed entirely with a glowing yellow light, the inner bottle hovered on series of mag-lev pads on the perimeter of the outer bottle. It was the same kind of containment field that had been allotted to Operation Chariot, but never used.

In front of them was the two meter tall "neck" of the inner bottle. Aside from the containment-field, it was open, revealing the cell within the inner "bottle". The three approached the translucent yellow boundary but stayed well behind a red line that had been painted on the floor.

Inside the cell, a being that appeared to be a young teenage girl with dark skin and a mix of southeast Asian features raised an eyebrow. She sat on a plain metal chair. The orange ribbon that tied back her strawberry blonde hair and the severe black and grey dress she wore were the only real embellishments in the room.

Red and orange eyes glared back at her. The grey-eyed Angel smiled, smoothed her skirt, and stood up. She waited while Misako walked over to a phone mounted on the wall of the access gantry. There Misako confirmed the containment's integrity, that backup was aware of the situation, and that the surveillance feeds were active.

"Warrant Officers, Captain. I'd offer you a seat but..." Iry waved to bare furnishings of her cell. There was a bunk that folded from one wall, with a table that folded out of the other end. She then sat back down on the cell's single chair. The very back of the tubular room had an alcove that contained a compact toilet, sink, and shower unit.

Shinju looked around their side of the access walkway. First Division had yet to deliver spare chairs to the Exclusion Zone.

"Iruel." Misako stepped up to the line and looked at the smiling Angel.

"What do you want to ask about, today?" Iry grinned. "I assure you, it would be my utmost pleasure to help."

"Awww, she's cooperating," Shinju pouted, fingering the grip of her pistol.

"I'm stuck here aren't I?" Iry sighed and looked between the three young women. "So two of the Ayanami and Nerv's Mini-Evangelion. Your species' reckless ingenuity does you credit." Steeling herself she kept eye contact with the Adversary's Shadow.

The diminutive clone for her part simply gave a cheery smile and tapped the hilt of her knife.

Iry turned away. At least it was not the full power of the Adversary. At least She was not here. "I suppose the missing clone is with the human pilot in their Evangelions," she said, letting her attention drift back to the least threatening clone.

"You felt them arrive?" Misako blurted before trying to regain her composure.

"Deductions, my dear, but thanks for confirming." Iry smirked. "You're not supposed to answer my questions. It's a basic precaution. If Nerv wants to interrogate me face to face, then they'd send beings capable of generating AT fields. They'd also send at least two Evangelions as backup.

"Really, they should send you lot plus an experienced interrogator." Iry smiled at Misako. "No offense, but this out of your sphere of experience. I suppose Nerv was lacking someone with the requisite skills and the necessary clearances. A person like that would be rare."

"You know a lot about our systems." Misako stated.

"It was my job." Iry shrugged, glancing at Kiko.

"So, you see Evangelions and Pilots as part of the containment procedure?"

Iry laughed. "Oh no, the Evangelions are to back you up, and you five can't be here all the time, not with a war going on. No, containing me is simplicity itself."

"Is it? You're an Angel." Misako stated.

"Let us consider the actual security arranged against me. We can dismiss the armored walls, the depth underground, the Section Two soldiers; that's all for keeping people out rather than keeping me in." Iry tapped a hand on the table beside her. "Even this containment field and the hex pillars are delaying tactics. They simply serve to keep me in place just long enough for my true warder."

"Which is?" Misako asked while Shinju frowned and shifted her rifle from pointing to the wall to the floor.

"An Azazel device." Iry's grin sublimated and her tone became more clinical. "The conditionals are easy enough to setup. Containment breach equals detonation. My only hope is that your electricians are really good at setting up a stable power supply. Oh, and that the system doesn't have a pretentious name. It would really be a bit much to be imprisoned under a Damocles Device."

"You're joking?"

Iry sighed. She paused and sighed again. "Breathing... still creepy. Captain, I'm a prisoner of psychotic apes who have weaponized the power of life and the power of stars. Oh yes, I'm also at the mercy of those who have died by the billion at the hands of my kind. Humor is what keeps me sane."

"Sane?" Kiko snorted.

"Though I'm surprised that you brought Warrant Insana Soryu this time. Given her temperament and what... happened."

"Engelsabschaum..." Kiko hissed. Her choker flashed from green to yellow. Again she squeezed the grip and fore-stock to her rifle. "What kind of joke is this? How can this thing look more human than me?"

The Angel rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I'm no happier about it than you are."

"Happy? Do you know what happened to Berlin?"

Iry paused and stared at the gynoid. "Of course." She shook her head in disbelief. "War can be such a waste. Which is why I disagreed with the Little Impact."

"About that, what was your contribution to the attack?" Misako asked.

"Targeting, training, and simulations."

"You picked the cities!" Kiko's anger died and her shoulders lowered. "Berlin..."

The Angel laughed. "I wish I had picked the targets."

"You wanted it to happen?" Misako demanded.

"No, destroying your capital cities? What does that accomplish? Exchanging the life of one my sisters for piles of dead humans? Again, that's a waste."

"So you suddenly care about human life?" Kiko kept her voice even, but her choker had turned yellow and was gaining red splotches.

Tilting her head to the side, Iry's smile stayed the same but the emotion drained from her voice. "Not in the slightest. What I care about, what I cared about, was accomplishing my mission. The Little Impact just made you angry; it didn't really diminish your ability to fight. No, my targets would actually have hurt you as opposed to annoying you."

"Your targets? You had a different plan? So, there was conflict in your command structure?" Misako asked.

"Command structure? I wish." Iry rolled her eyes. "I told you, we just have one leader: the eldest of us. Not that age has brought wisdom or the ability to listen to advice."

"Then what did you do?"

Iry frowned. "I'll say it again: training. I made sure her attacks would be on target. I also got Leli to setup a simulator."

"But you didn't approve of your leader's plan."

"That doesn't mean I didn't want Saha to win. Lot of good that did her." Her grin melting, Iry looked down. "Back then I still wanted to save Mother, back then I didn't know that I was being used, that we were all being used."

Misako frowned. She knew the prisoner would get maudlin if the subject lingered. "What was your plan? How would you have beaten us?"

Iry looked up. "Do you know what your power is?"

Kiko narrowed her eyes and glanced at Misako. "Why are you humoring her?"

Misako wanted to backhand the girl. Getting the prisoner to talk was the most important thing, once an audience was provided and a dialog opened, the conversation could then be steered.

"Fine." Iry crossed her arms over her chest. She exhaled and gave a pout. "All these sacks and tubes. How can you stand it?" She shuddered. "Power is your power. Industrial power, scientific power, military power, they all require electrical power."

"You'd hit our power-plants?"

"Some, but only after the first targets: oil-fields, coal seams, uranium mines, pipelines, tankers, ports and tank-farms. Destroy the extraction, transport, and storage and your civilization slows to a grind. I'd try to start as many chain reactions as possible."

"You'd have our uranium mines go critical?" Misako's eyes widened.

"I wish." Iry laughed. "That's hard. However oil and coal-mine fires are easier, but that's just a side effect. No for mines like that I'm afraid infiltration and explosion within would be about the best. It won't destroy the resource, but will make it much harder to get to again."

"How would you choose your targets? You couldn't destroy everything."

Iry sighed. "Maybe not, but an event fifteen years ago was very illustrative."

"The Second Impact?"

"Why yes, it was easy to track which areas recovered first, and which ones were reduced to pre-industrial barbarity."

"But we'd still have the Geo-Front, and no real military damage."

"You sound like Her." Iry shook her head. "No patience. In time your supplies of fuel, ammunition, and parts would be exhausted. You'd still be dangerous, but you'd be far weaker. Even Tokyo Three for all its power and industry is not self-sufficient. Half of your Evangelions were imported, as were most of the parts for the other two."

"You realize the effect your actions would have had on the population at large."

Iry raised an eyebrow. "Certainly. Maintaining civil order would be a considerable drain on military resources. Shame it wouldn't force you to expend your nuclear stockpiles."

"Millions would die, maybe millions more than died in the Little Impact."

Iry gave a tiny smile and bowed her head.

"Monster! You said you thought killing people was a waste!" Kiko shouted.

The Angel raised a finger. "I said killing without accomplishing my mission was a waste. Removing your industrial and military capacity would have suited my goals nicely."

Staring down the Angel, Shinju inclined her head.

Iry blinked at the clone's tiny approving smile. Suddenly, her skin felt oddly restrictive and bumpy.

Kiko glared. "That's cold."

"That's practical, and better than the alternative. Killing people isn't the goal. If it happens, it happens. Killing you, in and of itself, is not a goal, conversely not killing you isn't a goal either. However, killing without a goal is just childish slaughter."

"I'm not sure those words go well together," Kiko said.

Iry laughed. "Breaking people, and people's things, without an objective in mind? What is that but a temper tantrum? And what is a temper tantrum other than childishness?"

"Nothing is worse than unbridled cruelty of a child." Misako looked Iry in the eye. "And your Leader, this... half-Angel, she went with the Little Impact... it was a tantrum?"

"Yes," Iry smirked. "You're starting to understand what your enemy is."

"Why are you so happy? You're still a prisoner."

"Yes, I am." the Angel ran a hand along the side of her cell. "And you'll do everything you can to win this war. Won't you?"

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Before the Little Impact, before the incarceration an auburn-haired angel pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Mikki looked at the globe before her; it could have been worse, real lives could have been lost. "Enough." She waved her hand and the translucent image vanished. Shaking her head she stepped back to the couch and slumped into it. She stared off into the featureless pure-white distance.

"What's wrong?" Leli asked, leaning on the couch-back. The even younger Armi looked up with wide eyes.

The auburn-haired Angel idly waved where the map was. "We lost, Iry... Saha..." She sighed again.

"But they'll be okay?" Armi asked. The little Angel wore a crisp yellow sundress and fidgeted with the bow that held her curly hair back into a ponytail.

Mikki gave a smile. "Of course... for now."

"We can try again right?"

"Well yes thanks to you... but we're running out of..." Mikki turned to see that the young angel had wandered off.

Smiling, Leli had zeroed in on the clock that sat on the edge of the furnished portion of the white void they inhabited.

The tanned Angel huffed in boredom; Armi then started playing with her shoes. This caught Leli's eye.

"I hope you weren't going to say time," Iry grinned.

Mikki shook her head and looked to the garishly dressed angel standing next to the dark-skinned blonde. She had tried explaining the finer points of fashion to Saha, but the green-haired Angel had simply shrugged, and Iry had given that knowing little smile of hers. The same she was giving now.

"We still have over a week until Saha's debut. Why are you letting a training sim bum you out? We do lose most of them." Putting stress on the "we", Iry's shoulders sagged.

"I'm just getting fatigued," Mikki bit her lip.

"Yes, only having a 10% chance of success, with a 90% chance that Saha and I will die would bum you out."

Mikki glared.

Iry looked to Armi who had curled up on the couch and was lightly dozing. She had been told that Sandi liked to nap as well. Poor little Sandi. "That just means you're alive." Iry's tone sharpened and she glanced at Saha. "When we do this for real..."

Mikki waved her hand. "I have every confidence in you.

Saha frowned. "The enemy are strong."

"That's why we train." Mikki forced a smile. "That's why you'll hurt them. Hurt them almost as much as mother did."

Iry rolled her eyes slightly. Even at the most optimistic, Mikki's plan would result in an order of magnitude less damage than Mother's provided Saha's rescue failed of course

"Your plan is too long term, too slow," Mikki chided. "If we win this..."

Keeping her face towards Mikki, Iry backed to the clock and looked down at Leli. "Yes, yes. It's the same gamble. Everything or nothing. Why not hedge our bets? Why do we have to attack them at their strongest?"

Crossing her legs, Mikki straightened her back. "So, do you want to do my job then?"

"Why not?"

Mikki laughed. "You couldn't handle it."

"I've-"

The auburn haired woman extended her AT field, silencing her sister. "You've read about humans. That's hardly experience. You think you could do my job? You think you could infiltrate the humans, walk among them?"

"They're only human." Iry raised an eyebrow. She blinked and paused, thinking.

"Only human? Aren't you the one constantly talking up their strengths and how we need to train more to defeat them?"

Iry frowned and reached up and ran a finger over her mouth. "Like you're one to talk," she tapped her lips. "You're the reason we look like this. Why not have us go among them? Surely we could learn more and do more damage."

"And who would you suggest for the job?" Mikki's arm swept over her sisters going from the dozing strawberry blonde, to the slightly pale-haired girl enthusiastically examining previous girl's shoes, to the girl in a dress of green and orange paisley who seemed to stare straight up, and finally onto Iry who simply glared.

"Crack troops, then?" Iry stated after a moment's glare.

"Sarcasm, one of their few inventions of note." Mikki chuckled.

"You're not insulting us?" Saha asked glaring at Iry.

Iry paused, for a moment she was reminded of just how large, how powerful Saha really was. "I have severe reservations on how we're being deployed and if it's to the best end, but I would never question your commitment."

"I will rescue mother. I will find the humans where they hide and they will burn."

Iry clasped the tips of her fingers together and held them under her chin. "Yes, but there's so many. Care must be taken when selecting the targets."

Uncertain, Saha looked to Mikki who shook her head.

"Dear Iry, your cleverness is showing again. Your plan is too ambitious while also being too slow. Hardly an appealing combination."

Iry's eyes narrowed. "Take away their power and industry and science will fall, without industry and research their militaries will grind to a halt."

Mikki shook her head. "You are a being of half measures. You say one plan is not damaging enough but another is too damaging."

"What?" Iry's voice rose. "Rendering humanity extinct is an ideal goal. I merely question the feasibility. Every single attempt to initiate the Third Impact has failed. They have come to expect us to make a mad dash to Mother, and thus they have fortified their position."

"Yes they have some power."

"Some!" Iry screamed, waking Armi and causing Leli to drop the sock she had been examining. The tiny blonde angel looked around in confusion and fear.

"You live in their 'fortress city'. You've been inside the Geo Front. You've stood in the shadow of their Abominations. And you've seen the Adversary and her Shadows!" Iry exclaimed.

Mikki slowly closed her mouth. She exhaled through her nose and waited... The others were agitated and looked between her and Iry. She knew her AT field was powerful but if the others united... it would be four against one.

Saha stepped forward, her eyes glanced over Mikki's careful poker face and locked onto Iry's boiling rage.

"You're afraid of them?" Saha's eyebrows raised.

"Only an idiot would not be." The dark-skinned blonde spat. "They've killed seven of us. They woke up Mother, withstood her wrath, imprisoned her, then cut apart her flesh, and used it to make weapons, to kill us. Not that they needed to, they're quite good at killing us without the Abominations."

Saha stared. Behind her Armi whimpered and leaned onto Leli who tried to curl around the smaller angel, making them less conspicuous.

"Yes they're clever."

"Clever is having a few tactical tricks and winning a couple battles. They've won. Every. Single. Time. The best we've gotten was wounding one of their Pilots."

Mikki rose, sensing the nervous shift among the Angels. "We have more power, and we have your training. We will defeat them. We will rescue mother. We just need to try again."

"Again?" Iry laughed bitterly. " 'They came on in the same old way, and we sent them back in the same old way.' Wellington after destroying the Old Guard, Napoleon's elite veteran division." Iry's shoulders slumped forward and she seemed to collapse into herself. "We can't win, not like this."

In the silence, the young Angel's crying and Leli's attempts to reassure her dominated.

Saha let her arms fall to the side and stepped back, then forward and then back again.

Looking at the others and their nervous motions. Mikki found herself beginning to flush.

"We'll keep at it, and for what? Even if we get to Mother, they'll just vaporize the whole facility. We need Mother alive, they... don't."

Sensing the anxiety grow, Mikki grabbed Iry's arm and began dragging her to the side... away from the others. It did not matter how far they went, by the nature of the room, it was enough.

Pulling her hand free, Iry frowned and looked behind her shoulder. She could see her sisters and the furniture of their "room" off in the distance, an island in an endless field of white. She turned back to Mikki.

"I'm worried." Mikki lowered her eyes. "This defeatism... it's not you, and it's making the others nervous."

"Defeatism?" Despite herself, Iry began to smirk.

Mikki held up a hand. "Please no historical lectures. I'm sure the humans have used those words in similar situations."

"No, it's not that," Iry laughed. "Don't you remember when we first met? What was said?"

"I recall you marveling at having bilateral symmetry."

"No, you said 'I fear we will lose the war.' " The strawberry blonde's grin grew.

Mikki looked away. "And now you're saying it."

"Contagion then?"

Mikki gave a little nod.

"Retaining morale is a true challenge, even in the best of times."

Mikki laughed. "So you do have tact then?"

"What of your actions?"

Mikki stared at the younger Angel. "Mine?" she asked her AT field flickering.

"Well... yes." Iry blinked. "You take me and run off, leaving them. What if they do something rash? Saha wants to prove she isn't scared and Leli and Armi are just plain scared."

"No doubt you have a solution I should try."

Iry turned back to her sisters, off in the distance. "A victory would reassure them. Go with a less ambitious goal. Force Saha to withdraw once the objective has been met."

"What you propose is too timid."

"What I propose leaves Saha alive."

Mikki rubbed her forehead. "And you want to spend even more time with humans."

"It hasn't seemed to have done too much damage to you."

The auburn-haired angel's eyes flashed red. "You think you can make light of my situation?"

"Why not?"

Mikki opened her mouth then closed it. "You don't understand," she eventually said in a small voice.

"Understanding is my purpose."

"No." Mikki sighed. "Your purpose is to rescue mother, to trigger the Third Impact."

"Fine, fine. You want humanity exterminated. You want everything spawned from the Adversary destroyed. Then what?" Iry leaned forward. "After we win, after the global anti-AT field, what then?"

Mikki chuckled. "Now who is being ambitious?"

"Goals are important, as are the means to achieve them." After glancing back at her sisters, Iry squared her shoulders. "Give me the means. If you won't approve the missions I come up with, then let me do more research. Let me learn more about the enemy."

Mikki blinked in surprise. "This is more than you wanting to copy what I've done."

"Dear Sister, the thought of playing secretary fills me with dread. As does the thought of existing as a sack of bladders and gasbags, but to defeat the enemy, I fear, may require attacking them from within."

The auburn haired angel nodded her head with a smile that mixed pride and sadness. "I had my worries. Worries that you would be clever enough..."

"You pull me aside because you fear my defeatist rhetoric and now you try to flatter me?" Iry laughed.

"I suppose I am that transparent."

Iry smirked.

Mikki pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine. Something to placate you, then. How about a bribe?"

"What?" Iry inclined her head. "What could you buy me off with?"

Mikki smiled. "Access to information, the ability to do your own operations, greater independence. You want to attack them from within, I can help."

"And the cost?"

Pacing, the auburn haired woman's grin grew. "Obedience."

"Ah, how... direct."

"No reason to beat around the bush." Mikki continued to pace. "You've grown. You're second to me in seniority. Yes... you think you can run things better than me, why not let you prove yourself."

"And you conveniently put me somewhere out of the way?"

"Oh no," Mikki put her arm around Iry's shoulder and started walking her back towards the others. "No. You'll be right here, serving as a great example."

Iry saw that they were now close enough for Saha and Armi to notice them. Even Leli had looked up from the sofa cushion she had disassembled. Putting on a smile, Iry also put an arm around Mikki's waist. "Yes, a wonderful example. If I succeed I show the wisdom going along with the group, and if I fail I'll be a warning to the ambitious among us."

Mikki squeezed her sister's shoulder. "You always were a smart one."

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The Pilots left the locker room. Rei was first, followed by her sister. Kiko walked next to the youngest Ayanami and seemed absorbed in conversation. Toji was the last out, his expression pensive.

Studying his ward, Lev Flyorov nodded to himself. His men fell into place around the Children while the former hockey player glided over to his pilot. After they went through a couple of corridors they rode an escalator that took them into the vast interior of the Geo Front. They emerged into a long lobby-like corridor full of escalators and walkways that went to various points in Central Dogma. There they rendezvoused with Katrina's Azazel platoon.

"You two ready for tomorrow?" Toji asked Rei and Kiko. "I'm guessing you two aren't that worried, especially you Red."

"What? Our range training." Kiko asked.

"I think he means the upcoming math exam. Since he asked us specifically."

Shinju nodded.

"Oh," the gynoid shrugged. "I guess... wait why shouldn't we be worried?"

"Well because you're a-"

"You had better finish that by saying college grad," Kiko hissed.

"You've got a built in calculator!"

The Evangelion sighed. "Stupid, stupid meatbag."

Rei blinked. "Technically, you are over eighty percent 'meat', Unit 02."

A couple of the Azazel guards snickered.

"Really?" Kiko crossed her arms. "Hadn't noticed."

"Be that as it may, you really can't use an insult that applies to you."

"You're armored maybe we can pick some sort of canned meat," Shinju offered.

Kiko ground her teeth. " es. I don't even get the cool parts of being a robot?"

"At least you still have a soul," Toji said as they crossed another security checkpoint.

"Great, what the fuck am I gonna do with one of those?" Kiko demanded. "Bottle it and put it on my mantelpiece?"

"Uh... pilot a giant Robot so you can kill freaky aliens."

"Silence!" Kiko smacked the side of Toji's head.

"Owww! See this is why people think robots are plotting against us."

"You 'think'? I doubt that," Kiko sniffed and turned back to Katrina.

"Tssch." Toji rubbed his ear. "Man, can't believe I'm the only normal one. Shame about the Third. I bet he was normal."

Shinju coughed and started fidgeting with her holster.

Kiko stopped. "You... do know what happened with the Third right?"

"Yeah, he died in that first Angel attack. Got caught between the JSSDF and the Russians." Toji shrugged. "Damn shame."

Kiko gave a thin smile. "But you don't know who he was do you?"

Bearing a little smile, Shinju looked up and took a step closer to Rei who automatically took the younger clone's hand.

"Eh? Wasn't that a secret?"

Kiko rolled her eyes. "Yes, but it's not held very well. It's pretty obvious, I mean the Third's father doesn't take loss well," the gynoid glanced at Katrina.

"Your commanding officer is a very private man. You are correct; he does not take loss... well," Lieutenant Diebner eventually said.

"Wha? Ikari had a son?" Toji whistled. "Damn, no wonder he's got such a hard-on for the Angels."

Despite herself, Shinju giggled, while Rei raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I can sorta see why they'd keep that under wraps. Head of Nerv losing his kid, not very inspiring."

"No, it's not," Shinju added in a quiet voice.

Lev watched the conversation. The secret behind the Third Child was... anticlimactic but understandable. After all, even Commander Ikari was only human, but... that did make it a useful cover-story; not all cul-de-sacs were true dead ends.

"Still, woulda been nice to meet the guy," Toji brightened slightly. "Least then I wouldn't have been the only guy."

Kiko sighed. "The commander's late son. You think he'd have been someone you'd have liked?"

"He raised Rei."

Eyeing Shinju, Kiko nodded. "Good point, Meatbag."

"Yay, good work Oneechan!" Shinju hugged Rei.

"Yes... very good point," Kiko said.

Toji looked at the girl in the ruffled and ribboned dress. "Yeah. So... anyway you worried about the test tomorrow?"

"Not in the slightest. Now if it was composition I'd be worried," Kiko said as they exited the pyramidal structure of Central Dogma and entered the large plaza that fronted the structure.

"I will perform adequately," Rei added.

As they crossed the plaza Igor and his platoon came into view. The man was holding a happily squirming ball of grey fur. Shinju's eyes lit up and she ran towards her bodyguard. Rei followed while Kiko walked off with Katrina and her men.

Toji watched the other girls walk off and his shoulders rose in relief.

Igor put Flins down, the puppy almost seeming normal size in the large man's arms. The fluffy, thick limbed puppy ran over to Shinju where the little girl lowered her gaze and the dog immediately sat down.

Then Shinju scooped up the giant grey puppy and skipped over to her giant Slav. Watching with amusement, Kiko went over to the other German woman and started talking, gesturing with her armored hands.

After allowing enough time for the other Pilots to be out of range, Lev leaned towards the teen. "Is something wrong?"

Turning, Toji looked at the scarred, crooked-nosed man. "Do you have to ask that every damn time I'm not happy? Maybe I should hold in all my emotions, or I could constantly complain and gripe."

"I suppose it would be easier." Lev chuckled. "How about homicidally-chipper, that least you could do?"

Toji arched an eyebrow. "What, would your job be easier if I were an angry robot or a crazy little girl?"

"Trade with Katrina?" Laughing, Lev's grin grew. "Not for all the sturgeon in the Caspian."

"Right. Fish. And Shinju?" Toji shook his head. "Of course... she's happy with a new ribbon or a new knife, but she's really happy when she's using a giant robot to kill Angels."

"Normal makes you easier to manage, but not sure makes easier for you to manage."

Looking off to see the Ayanamis exit the other side of the plaza, Toji shook his head again. "And you're asking why I'm feeling glum? You seem to have a pretty good handle, and I'm sure you saw my performance in training."

"You performed well."

"Yes, Princess called me 'adequate'." Toji snickered. "Least it got Kiko jealous."

"What problem then?"

"Princess... Shinju then mentioned that Shirane would have loved it. And... she's right."

"Ah," Lev nodded, understanding. "You are unique among the Pilots."

"As I said, only guy." He bet the Russians knew that the Ayanamis were genetically altered clones, but it was best to not confirm it. After all, they knew more about the Third Child than he did, but so did Kiko for that matter. Being kept in the dark was really annoying, but that was how Nerv operated.

"No, only one with family outside." Lev tapped his chin. "Kiko's father Nerv, and all Ayanami are also."

"My father's Nerv."

Lev lowered his gaze.

"Right... I'm not worried about him." Toji's shoulder's sagged.

"Sister problem, then?"

"What am I supposed to do? She's friends with Princess, and she doesn't have many friends. Heck, Shinju doesn't either, not at least normal friends. Just my sister and Hikari's little sister."

Lev shrugged. "Nothing to do other than be a good brother, and a brave Pilot."

"Great... I should have expected that: endure nobly and keep a patriotic one-liner ready."

"You've got the propaganda poster part down pat."

"Swell, it's not like you guys would let me get groupies. Oh no, that'd be a security breach. Bah. Then again, Hikari would kill me."

"Yes, Miss Horaki is a formidable young woman."

Toji blinked and eyed the Azazel officer. "You see that, that right there's just plain creepy."

Lev smirked.

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Flins at her side, Shinju entered the apartment. Her motions stiff and listless, she absently petted her dog's head.

Igor stood at the doorway. "You okay, seem distracted?" he asked shifting aside to let Rei enter.

Flins whined and nudged his mistress' hand.

"Da," Shinju gave a smile and scratched her dog behind the ear.

The giant Russian frowned slightly at the girl. "As you say." He looked to Rei and whispered in Russian. "Please watch your little sister."

Brightening, Shinju giggled. "Really? Trying to be obvious?

"You hear?" Igor asked.

"Even in a low voice your words carry, Lieutenant," Rei said.

"Also, mladshaya syestra? I made that much out. That was far too clumsy and obvious. You wanted me to know what you were saying to Oneechan." Shinju smiled.

"See! Spying cheer everyone up!" Igor boasted. "Maybe after dinner I can take you both to range. Pyotr has special targets... very reactive."

Shinju's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Little girls easy to cheer up." Igor laughed. "You be good; I'll be back later." The large man then closed the apartment door and locked it.

"That'll be fun." Shinju chirped as she led Flins to the couch. She then sat down and ordered the dog to do the same.

Silently, Rei entered the living room and watched the clone, her sister, brush the dog. She went to her room. Rei looked at her dresser and straightened the silver picture frame and the glasses case. She then picked up one of the books the Commander had given her and returned to the living room.

There she saw that Flins had crawled up onto the couch and was resting his head on Shinju's lap. The dog opened his eyes, looked at Rei, and went back to sleep.

Rei sat down opposite the dog and opened her book. As she read she noticed Shinju pick up the remote and flip the television to one of the music channels.

Frowning, Rei closed the book. "The Lieutenant is correct. Something seems wrong."

Shinju blushed, lowering her head, and absently brushed back some strands of hair that had escaped her Alice-band. "Well..."

"Does Doctor Akagi need to be informed?"

Shinju shook her head.

Flins woke up and blinked at the two girls. His eager, happy expression shifted to one of attentive anxiety.

"The Commander?"

Shinju's blush grew. "No..."

"Misako then?"

The pre-teen clone stared.

Ignoring the look, Rei nodded. "That eliminates medical, strategic, and when combined with Lieutenant Khariton's concerns, tactical issues." Rei glanced down at her novel. "Is it romantic then?"

Shinju's flush turned bright crimson "Oneechan! It's not like that!"

"Oh." Rei glanced down at her book. "Are you sure? The symptoms seem to match, and I have some ideas."

"What?" Shinju chewed her lip. "Um... who?"

"It is like that then?" Rei's smile while small was triumphant.

"No!"

Flins lifted his head and leaned it onto Shinju who scratched his neck.

A frown flickered across Rei's face. "Then what is it?"

"The Third child."

"What about him?" Rei madly asked.

Shinju's mouth opened slightly. "Oneechan..."

"Is that component in your fabrication causing issues? I did ask if you needed to talk to Doctor Akagi," Rei's tone was slightly disapproving.

"It's not that," Shinju pouted. "It was just weird... I didn't think anyone.. knew. I mean I know there was a grave... next to mother's but-"

Rei's eyes narrowed fractionally

"But I don't know... it sounded like Kiko and Toji were talking about a different person."

"They were."

Shinju's pout grew. "That's not the answer I was hoping for."

"Why?"

"I'm more than just a... component."

"No. By definition, the part of you that was transferred from the Third into this shell was a component."

"Oneechan! You make it sound so cold, so clinical!"

"We were made in a laboratory," Rei reminded.

Shinju made a little whimper.

Rei pulled the smaller clone into a hug. "There's nothing wrong with what we are. We were made for a purpose."

"But..." Shinju leaned into the hugs, both her sister's and her dog's. "What about the Third?"

"What about him?"

"You act like he's dead, that I'm not him... or at least that I'm something new." Shinju sighed.

Rei shook her head. "You're partially incorrect. The Third is dead. You were the Third." She looked distantly. "The salvage operation worked."

"What if it didn't?"

"You would know; I would know." Rei forced a thin smile as she squeezed Shinju's shoulders with her arm.

"You would?"

"Absolutely."

Shinju looked to her sister. "I'd know because... I wouldn't remember, right?"

Rei nodded.

"And you'd know... because you remember."

Rei raised an eyebrow.

"You weren't salvaged, right?"

Swallowing, Rei shook her head.

"Right, so you'd know how a clone without a Salvaged soul would act."

"I was also far younger when I was activated," Rei said allowing herself to nod. Holding Shinju tighter, she scratched Flins' nose.

Giving a little sigh, Shinju reached out and hugged Rei. "It's okay Oneechan! You're not alone."

Rei brushed back some of Shinju's hair. "That is true. Are you feeling better?"

Shinju

nodded. "Yup! But..."

"Yes?"

"Well, it's still weird. Toji and Kiko know about our clone bodies but not the soul salvage? They even know who I was, you know, before."

"Those are our orders." Rei frowned again. "Technically, the Second should not even know who the Third was."

"But she did."

"Yes, open secrets are untidy." Rei looked vaguely disgusted. "I'm not sure why Commander Ikari let such personal information be released."

"Don't be sad!" Shinju hugged Rei again. "The Commander knows what he's doing."

"Yes, he does."

Rei nodded and returned to her book.

Shinju turned to the TV, but her attention was unfocused. She shifted her dress and checked her holster. She then went through the same procedure to verify her magazine pouches and then finally her collection of knives.

Seeing a flash of steel, Rei looked up from her book. After Shinju started placing knives on the table, Rei returned to her book.

As she continued to read she noted when Shinju got up and went to her room. Flins got up and followed at her heels. After a moment, the girl returned carrying an oilstone, cleaning cloth, and light lubricating oil.

"Do you want me to sharpen any of your knives?" Shinju asked after laying out her tools and rearranging her knives.

Rei unclipped the combat knife and scabbard she had slipped through her belt and handed it to Shinju with a slight smile.

Shinju accepted the blade and began to work. For a while the steady even sound of metal run against stone filled the apartment. Rei knew that keeping a steady pressure and angle was critical to honing an even blade. She also knew that the focus sharpening required was fairly meditative.

There was a click as the front door unlocked. Both Rei and Shinju put their hands on their sidearms, and withdrew them when they saw the person crossing the threshold.

"I'm home!" Misako said as she entered the apartment. Her sisters responded to her salutation. After removing her shoes, Misako went to the fridge and pulled out a beer. She sighed at the ranks of cans that looked back at her.

Tossing her jacket over a kitchen chair, she crossed the kitchen and came to the living room.

Both Rei and Shinju looked up and met Misako's eyes. Shinju frowned and looked back down.

"How's it going, you two?" Misako asked, eyeing her youngest sister. She popped open the top to her beer and sat down across from her sisters.

"About the same," Rei admitted. "Shinju is grappling with the existential crisis of being an artificial shell containing a displaced soul."

"Oneechan!" Shinju cried.

"But she is doing well," Rei added.

"Huh," Misako took a drink.

"Well... how do you handle it, Oneesan?" Shinju asked.

"The job hasn't changed. Kill the angels."

"Is that all there is to life?" Shinju asked.

Rei tilted her head and looked at Shinju uncomprehending.

"I'm..." Shinju exhaled. "Kiko was talking about the Third and who he was and..."

"Oh," Misako gulped down some more beer. "Yeah, that's pretty awkward. Makoto and Shigeru talk about 'Misato' sometimes and..." the pink-haired clone tapped her fingers against her chair's arm rest.

"We had hoped that keeping as much information about your... about the Third secret would help things."

Shinju gave a weak smile. "It's more than that. It's easy, so easy."

"What?" Misako asked.

The small girl waved a hand over her body, over the bowed hairband and purple and black gothic Lolita dress she wore.

"Oh." Misako blinked. "You're worried about where that came from."

"The hairpiece came from Misako, and the dress was at your friend's instance," Rei explained.

"But... is it me or the..." Shinju bit her lip.

"Shinju honey, you're the one in frills and bows. Rei and I aren't," Misako said as delicately as she could.

Giving a slight whimper, Shinju resumed leaning onto Rei. "Was it supposed to be this way?"

Misako laughed. "Of course not. We didn't expect the Angels to start targeting the pilots, we didn't expect the Russians to start nuking the Angels, and we didn't expect... Antarctica."

Shinju nodded. "The Second Impact."

"Right kiddo." Misako leaned forward and put her beer down on the table, next to the neat row of knives. "You see, that's the thing life... isn't what we expect of it." She extended her hand and gave Flins' side a scratch.

The dog rolled over and revealed his belly.

"No, it's not," Shinju said, nearly whispering. She continued to pet the large puppy.

"At least you've got us now."

"And the Commander," Rei added.

Shinju began to smile, and blush.

"Yeah! The old bastard actually seems to like you. Guess he's not so heartless."

Rei gave Misako a sharp look.

"What? I'm saying, as father... as father figures go... you could do worse." Misako looked out the window and tapped the top of her can. Section Two had certified that this room was clean; they had swept it this morning in fact. However, the problem was that the Russians lived in the building.

Misako sighed. At least they were constantly reminded of the layers of security and misdirection. The illusion of normalcy never intruded into their lives. The Nerv officer wondered if that was a hindrance or a positive on her sister's emotional state. Shrugging, she asked as much.

Shinju blinked. "Well... I don't have to pretend I'm normal. Do I?"

"Conformity is a burden most Japanese schoolgirls must face." Misako's voice was distant

Shinju raised an eyebrow. "But the secrets. This all came because Toji and Kiko don't know who I... was."

"They do know about the clones." Misako sipped her beer. "I'll talk to Ritsuko and the Commander. See if they can be cleared for the Salvage project."

Shinju looked down at her knives then at her dress.

"Is that what you want?" Misako asked as she pulled herself forward. "It's in the past, and they might think differently of you."

Shinju nodded. "But... they are my teammates. Should they know? What do you two think?"

Misako looked to Rei. Both exchanged a mostly befuddled glance. "I don't know. I suppose it depends on how open you want to be with them."

"They're fellow Pilots," Shinju tilted her head.

"Sure, sure. I'll still ask Ritsuko and the Commander. If they say yes about disclosing the Salvage Operation, then we can decide how much of your past to tell them. We could just tell them that the technology exists. Warrant Suzuhara might want to know that he's got more options available in case he gets hurt."

"Thanks Onneesan, that could work!" Shinju smiled and returned to her sharpening.

"Don't get too happy yet, they might say no," Misako cautioned.

"Doesn't that make things simple then?" Shinju brightened. "That way I don't have to make a choice."

"Uh, sure. Though I'm not sure why they'd say no. It's not like those two aren't privy to most of our secrets anyway."

Rei put her book down, distaste entered her voice. "Compartmentalization and need to know are critical elements to security."

"Yeah, yeah, but so is making sure the people that do need to know are cleared for it."

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Director Pavel Beria stepped into the restaurant's central dining room. Clad in dark wood paneling and highly polished hardwood flooring, containing deeply polished tables, glassware, and chandeliers, the large ornate room was much the same as the last time. However, instead of being full of various military, political, and scientific dignitaries the room was nearly empty.

The exceptions were the ubiquitous Azazel guards at the corners of the room and a pair of musicians at the small stage. An older Caucasian man in a black suit with a black bowtie and hat sang with an accompanying pianist. The woman had stern features but smiled playfully at the duet. In Beria's estimation she played well enough, though the man sung, in English, with a deep smooth voice that like the room itself was reminiscent of earlier times.

Reflexively the Russian's suspicion grew. He tugged at his lab coat and frowned. His shirt and tie were clean, but compared to the musician his clothing was rather natty. He took some comfort in the idea of the pianist's little black dress being nicer than anything Dr. Akagi would wear.

His eye turned critical and he wondered who they were working for: CIA, FSB, SIS, INSCOM, IPEA, or maybe a more obscure group like KJV.

"They ain't bad are they?" a man with a noticeable twang in his voice said from behind.

Beria turned to see the strong, stout form of Hiram S. Forsyth. The Russian's self consciousness immediately evaporated; the Texan engineer was still wearing coveralls and work gloves and had pulled his safety goggles down around his neck.

The Russian turned to read the poster that had been leaned against the stage. "Harvey and Elizabeth Finevoice. Name is accurate, I suppose."

"That it is," Hiram agreed, stiffly as he made a similar paranoid evaluation. The Texan suspected the duet to be working with NSA, ATFW, ONI, TGW2, GRU, Mossad, or maybe even PSIA

"Chief Engineer," Beria said, respectfully inclining his balding head.

"Program Director," Hiram replied. He looked around the room, then back at the musicians. "I suppose we're early."

"Leave it to Nerv to be late," Beria sighed.

"Well, I'll take that crooning over that tonic-selling miracle-man's babbling." Hiram grumped as he pulled at his gloves. "Drink?" he asked, midway through removing the brown and orange work gloves.

On the dais the song ended and after a moment Harvey began crooning a new tune. "Anything your little heart desires, your slightest wish is my command, there's nothing I won't do…"

"Sure, it's all coming from the same UN fund."

"What's the old saying you had back in the Commie days?" Hiram asked as they walked to the polished brass and oak bar. "As long as they keep pretending to pay us, we'll keep pretending to work?"

"Something like that. Though from what I've seen, you do work." Beria cracked a grin, though his eyes were cold and distant.

"Haven't killed an Angel yet," Hiram grumbled before nodding to the attentive bartender. "Whisky, and I'm guessing vodka," after switching to Japanese, he looked to Beria who nodded, "for my... friend here."

The bartender bowed and poured the drinks.

Beria took the offered glass and smelled it, relishing the mild scent. "Your design lacks raw power, but I cannot fault your methodology. The concept sound enough."

Hiram raised an eyebrow and sipped his whiskey. "Really?"

"Oh yes, deflecting an AT field in a pseudo-spall configuration has some basis. Instead of neutralizing or brute-forcing the 'impenetrable barrier' you intend to turn the shield itself into a weapon against its creator."

"Are we so transparent?" Hiram put the glass down and turned away. He allowed a small smile. The YA11 was merely Republic's most... public of a three tiered development plan.

The Russian chuckled. "Come, little white elephant is powerful, but-"

Hiram cut him off with a resigned nod. "Right, the math is simple enough. We ain't got the power to penetrate the shield. That leaves dang few options. Not hard to figure the one we'll try."

"That which cannot be broken can be bent. Is more elegant solution."

"Elegant?" Hiram scoffed. "Yeah, that's a word for it."

"Concerns?"

"Damn straight. We're fighting some pretty nasty customers and one of the big reasons we keep winning is due to the enemy being dumber than a sack of hammers."

"And the strength of our alliance and the unique weapons each side brings to the table." Beria gave a cold smile.

Hiram raised an eyebrow and leaned a boot on the brass rail on the foot of the bar. The eggheads assured corporate that his consultations with the Cleveland office were secure but... "Sure thing. The great alliance," he drawled before draining his shot glass. He then tapped the lip and slid it across the bar.

Looking at the back of the Texan's shirt, Beria's smile touched his eyes. "You yourself are a great facilitator. Production models of the A-11 have started deployment." He gulped down some of the vodka.

"Deployed? Hah. Most of them are slated to protect the politicians, instead of being sent against the Enemy." Scoffing, the shaved bald Texan turned to the wispy-haired Russian. "You know how it goes."

Beria lowered his head. "This true, I worry that my superiors overly conservative with deployments, but I can understand defense of Moscow."

Hiram took his refilled glass and chuckled. "That's the difference between you and me."

"There are other differences." Beria stated.

The Texan simply took a sip.

"We've been keeping up on you, on your curriculum vitae." Beria folded his hands. "The scope is... impressive."

Hiram laughed. "Pretty words on pretty paper."

"Yes, I know accreditation is half the battle, but needless to say: the number of degrees is impressive. However, not much original research I'm afraid to say. No papers of any note. Even your patents are pretty light. And it's not like you designed that Antonov airframe, or that giant gun (that was Austin Advanced Technology), or the reactor, Westinghouse did that. You simply assembled it."

Beria exhaled then continued. "And yet despite all that you propose a way that may yet defeat the enemy, and may do it without ridiculously expensive bio-machines or the mass collateral damage incurred by brute-force solutions."

The Texan turned and raised an eyebrow at the Russian. "I'm an engineer."

"Yes, you build things. Make things work." Beria's smile did not reach his eyes.. "Systems integration. But really, what else would a polymath with a dozen degrees do?"

"Eleven. That management one don't count."

Beria's smile warmed and he inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Still, you've assembled your giant gun, with which you just might kill Angels. What next? Even engineers don't like to hang around production."

"What about you, Doc?" Hiram held his glass. "You're an egghead. You had a hypothesis: nuclear weapons can kill Angels. Guess what? You've upgraded that to a working theory. What's next for you?"

"Well, I suppose we've got the same problem." Beria's smile vanished but his eyes continued to warm up to something that almost approached friendliness.

"I'm sure an enterprising man like you will come up with something."

Holding his half-full glass, Beria turned to watch the duet practice on stage. "At least there are advantages to the abuse of power."

"You mean Nerv forcing them to let us in for a late lunch?" Hiram asked.

"That. That and the piece you carry. I'm surprised. A revolver more traditional no? But I suppose you are special." The older man chuckled. "One wonders what you think such a little weapon can do. Given what it takes to hurt enemy."

"I just like to be prepared," Hiram's face clouded. "And unlike you I don't have my own squad of heavies."

Beria shook his head and finished his vodka. He watched the guards stiffen, then tap their headsets, unconsciously nodding in acknowledgement.

"I reckon they've finally come," Hiram said, making the same observation.

The doors popped open and a man with tight blue gloves, silver and black spiraled goggles, and a long flapping lab coat scrambled towards the pair. He turned to the bartender. "The great hero of Science, Professor Insana demands a menu!"

Her expression mortified, Ritsuko stalked behind him. She wore a blue dress under her more subdued lab coat. A pair of spiraled goggles hung around her neck.

Beria raised his eyebrows and gave a little shake of the head. Hiram gave a dismissive chuckle. The Russian, the American and the Japanese woman were too engrossed in Insana's antics to pay much attention to the musicians nor notice the slight start given by the singer as the flailing figure of Insana entered the room.

"If you should want the moon and the stars that shine, and the sun from up above, I'll tear them from the blue just to prove to you…" Harvey sang after a moment's pause.

Ritsuko sighed and smacked Insana on the back of the head. "What the hell is wrong with you!" the blonde scientist demanded.

"What?" Insana asked as he adjusted his goggles. "You told me to be more confident."

"No!" Ritsuko shook her head. "Why would I tell you a stupid thing like that? I told you to not dress like a disheveled slob and act like a paranoid loon."

Insana blinked. "To not... what... how?"

Ritsuko rubbed her forehead.

"He ain't all there is he?" Hiram asked.

"You have no idea," Ritsuko said. She forced a smile and nodded. "Director, Chief Engineer."

Beria shook his head. "And you think you save world, yes?"

Insana raised his chin. "I suppose, I always thought of that as more of a side effect of my work. Secondary, of course. Perhaps tertiary, really."

As they walked to their table Hiram raised an eyebrow. "And the primary, science?"

"Of course! I do what I do for Science!" Insana raised his fist and shook it.

The Texan brushed the arm aside and looked down at the slightly hunched man. "For science? Boy, there's a war going on."

"Yes, an excellent opportunity." Insana sat down and fiddled with his gloves. "Look at all the research, look at all that we have accomplished!"

"You would call war a regrettable necessity?" Beria asked.

"I'm not sure he'd even allow the regrettable part. I know the type," Hiram muttered. His employer, she, was a prime example.

"Don't we all," Brea smirked.

Insana gave a dismissive wave. "I am a man of Science. War is simply a wilder class of experiment."

Hiram laughed. "Yup. Definitely know your type. Turned his own daughter into an experiment. That takes a special kind."

"Clean gloves conceal dirty hands." Insana scoffed looking at Hiram's own gloves. "What of you? You sell unproven technology that has yet to kill an Angel. And that's merely what you've got in production. I'd hate to imagine what kludgy prototypes you've wrenched together. What failures has your company buried deep in some forgotten test cell? Or worse, what failures have you tricked the military into buying so they can pointlessly shoot it at the Angels?"

"Tino..." Ritsuko hissed.

"No, let the boy speak," Hiram held up a hand. "We're all supposed to be friends here," he added, his words curt and flat.

"Maybe we better off as enemies," Beria mused.

"Damn right. Between working with the godless Bolsheviks, the Japs, sorry Ma'am," Hiram bowed his head to Ritsuko who glared. "and the ivory tower eggheads, I'm starting to feel like my boss."

"Oh yes, Miss Johnson, how is Auntie CC doing? I heard she had a spot of illness," Ritsuko smiled, showing her teeth.

"Doing okay enough... Auntie?" Hiram blinked. "Pardon?"

"Yes, my mother did a bit of work for her. Down at your Cleveland facility." Ritsuko's body language was casual bit her eyes were locked onto the Texan's.

"Ah, the testing cores," Hiram nodded.

"Not quite as good as the Magi, but... one works with the resources one has."

"Fifth generation organic computers are still pretty handy. We never did get the bugs worked out of the Personality Transplant OS, but we manage." Hiram flashed his own toothy grin. "Shame about what happened. To Doc Naoko I mean; now she was a brilliant scientist."

"Mother's loss was a great tragedy." Ritsuko kept her forced smile.

"Nerv is making do," Beria said, though Ritsuko wondered if there was a not-so-hidden question in the statement.

"They do have Naoko's darling daughter." Hiram absently nodded. "And it seems she's got some tricks of her own. Just like her momma."

Ritsuko eyed the Texan.

"Doctor Forsyth, you are either a very polite man or a very sarcastic one." Insana cackled.

"I'm not sure I gather your meaning, Boy," Hiram muttered.

"Now you're just being obvious."

Shaking her head, Ritsuko turned to look at the bar and the door to the restaurant's kitchen "Where is the wait staff?"

"Maybe they're being interrogated by Section Two?" Insana suggested.

Seeing one of the black-suited guards talk into his lapel microphone, Ritsuko shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"The Reds are eye-ballin' us too."

"Reds? An upgrade from godless Bolsheviks."

"Now's not the time for socio-economic banter."

"Oh why not!" Insana pouted.

Hiram stared. "Maybe you can call your guards and rustle us up a waitress?" he then asked Ritsuko.

Insana was not deterred. "Tokyo 3 is the true path forward. Governance by robots! Just and wise decisions will be made under the baleful unblinking watch of our metallic masters!"

The table fell silent.

There was an awkward cough as a young waitress with short brown hair in a pixie bob came up to the table. "Um... can I take... drink orders?" Between the fuming scientists, the men in black suits and the armed and armored Russians... she would rather have gone up to the latter groups. "Or are you ready to order entrees?" she asked in a hopeful voice.

Insana ignored the waitress. "I'm not crazy! That's how this city is run!"

"The two are not mutually exclusive," Ritsuko sighed.

Hiram looked to the waitress and gave a big disarming smile. The effect was ruined by his overalls, welding goggles, and almost invasive presence.

The situation was further exacerbated by Insana looking up at her with his far more unnerving eyewear. "I have demanded menus! I _will_ have them!"

"Coincidence your daughter is robot, yes?" Beria asked Insana, ignoring the waitress.

Ritsuko coughed. "I'll have a scotch on the rocks. Those two will have another round of their drinks. And he'll have whatever sweet liquor you have," she briskly said, indicated Insana at the end.

"Well... we have a liquorice liquor..."

"Yes, yes." Ritsuko waved her hand. "And we'll start with the house soup, and... this place does steak right? You do have imported cattle meat, correct?"

"Um..." the waitress blinked. Befitting its expense, most of the restaurant's cliental were Nerv employees, contractors, and other governmental sorts. They had even hosted a few official events, so she was used to some level of strangeness but this...

"Fine then," Ritsuko pointed to Hiram. "This is your area right?"

"I guess that depend on what they use to fire their grills." Hiram rubbed his chin. "I may have to check out the kitchen."

Ritsuko held her forehead. "Why can't it be simple?"

"Bah, nothin's simpler than a good steak. You just need a slice of beef, some salt and some good wood though hardwood briquettes will do in a pinch."

"Really? How mundane." Beria smirked.

"What you think I'd use a jet engine or an inductive cannon?" Hiram snorted. "Induction cannon'll blast it to itty bitty pieces, rubbery pieces too. Engine'll dry it out and make the meat taste like jet fuel... or radiation. Depending on the go juice."

"Radiation has a taste?" Ritsuko asked.

"Yes," the three male scientists replied, nearly in sync.

Ritsuko glared at Insana. "I can guess how they'd know, but you?"

"I'll... just get your drinks and... soups... and um... see what the chef has special," the waitress said before scurrying away.

"This was a bad idea," Ritsuko moaned.

"This was your idea," Insana added.

"Yes, yes it was." Ritsuko looked around the room and spotted the waitress shuffling back towards them. The young woman was taking extra care to make sure their drinks did not spill.

The waitress approached the table and began to hand out glasses. "Uh, I talked with the chef and he doesn't normally run the wood grill but since this is a special event..."

"Well ain't that a surprise, little lady," Hiram smiled. "Now you didn't happen to find what you've got in stock?"

Watching the Texan smooth-talk the waitress, Ritsuko found herself smiling. She picked up her glass and sniffed the scotch. Part of her hoped that this could work out. Lifting the glass to her lips she tilted it back.

Then her cell phone rang. Followed by the phones of the other scientists. Using her free hand, Ritsuko pulled out her phone and answered it. "Shit. Where? How high? What about its Pattern?"

Beria listened and nodded. "Da, I am with her." There was another pause. "Understood." He hung up the phone and saw that Insana and Hiram had also ended their phone calls. "Well?"

The Section 2 agents and Azazel Naval Infantry also stiffened after their officers pulled out their radios and began shouting orders. Some of them started towards the table in a steady, serious gait.

Hiram eyed the Russian. "Bad for you too?" He looked from Ritsuko who was still on the phone to the increasingly nervous waitress. "I'm afraid we'll have to cancel that meal Hon. Not your fault." The Texan coughed. "And you might want to get to one of the shelters."

Insana held his phone like it was a dead fish. "Why did they call me? They know where I am."

Ritsuko snapped her phone closed. "This is your first time in Tokyo 3, during an attack I mean?"

Some of his bravado deflating, Insana nodded.

"When the red ball goes up we all get the notice."

Insana frowned. "They said there was an Angel, detected, not that it was coming here."

Hiram snorted. "Boy, this is Tokyo. Where do you think the giant monster's going to attack?"

Ritsuko eyed the scientists. "Enough, we're needed in the Geo Front."

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Ritsuko stepped into the Command Center. The sirens, hurried shouts, and flashing displays provided a welcome distraction. Looking over her shoulder she could see Insana and Beria getting to work. Insana commandeered several terminals belonging to one of the two Vice Command centers that sat at the front of the cavernous room.

Beria had sidled over to the Azazel liaison group; the Naval officers gravely nodding with the scientist. Even the Texan had gained a new focus, quietly with one of the JSSDF generals.

The scientist fished a cigarette out of her lab coat pocket. "Maya what's the status?"

Lieutenant Ibuki looked up from her display. "NORAD and Azazel confirm our telemetry. Low orbit presence. Massive size. Definitely not man-made."

"Angel," Misako stated, she turned back to Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga. "Is there anything we can equip the Evas with? What's the max range on the Mark 9's?"

"You'll want vertical range, and no, this thing is in orbit, and over the Indian Ocean." Ritsuko snorted and waved to the giant display and the single red chevron hovering ominously. Her eyes went back to the telemetry and size estimates. "Better get the Evas and the Pilots prepped though."

Misako nodded and contacted Captain Sakharov

"Retrograde orbit," Maya added. "Still haven't gotten Pattern lock. Surveillance satellites haven't gotten a visual yet, radar only."

Overseeing the procedure Gendo nodded. He then turned to Beria and Sudoplatov. "Director, Admiral, what assets does Azazel have?"

"Sir?" Misako asked.

"I don't like the idea of having this thing overhead." Gendo forced a thin smile. "If our allies could give us the courtesy of eliminating it before that happens..."

Beria gave a little bow. "In cooperation with the RVSN, Azazel has emplaced payloads on several of our strategic rocket assets." The balding man then looked to Admiral Sudoplatov who nodded. "However, some of the units had their boost and targeting components... upgraded. I must admit, we did not intend to hit target so... high."

"It seems that you are about to be challenged." Gendo looked to Ritsuko. "What of the Americans?"

Ritsuko tapped Makoto on the back. "NORAD and Space Command are also tracking," the young lieutenant answered. "They agree with the threat assessment. Damn... we need a better downlink. I'm authorizing the Magi to patch into their systems."

Gendo nodded. "However, that's not what I meant." His gaze went to the gaggle of JSSDF officers. Among them was a taller man still wearing red coveralls and holding a pair of work gloves. "You! Doctor Hiram! What do you know of American assets? Has Project Jarngreipr gone operational?"

Hiram looked up at the top tier and squinted. "I don't know what you're talking about. Sir."

Gendo folded his hands before his face. "Oh? I suppose your friends in Cheyenne will clear that matter up. I want solutions people. " He angled his head down and adjusted his glasses. "Right now Azazel has the most viable plan. Get to work."

"Sir," Ritsuko said, echoing many others. Before she returned to Maya's workstation she spared a glance at the map display and the misleadingly slow, but inexorable movement of the anomaly.

Fuyutsuki leaned to Gendo. "I must confess, I never considered such an avenue of attack."

"After Gaghiel perhaps we should," Ikari replied in a near whisper. He frowned. "This planet is inundated with water and surrounded by vacuum. It is natural the enemy would attack from those two locations. We should have seen this. Others have. Alert the Prime Minister personally. It would be... embarrassing if something happened. "

Fuyutsuki raised his eyebrows.

Lower on the command center tower, Ritsuko had returned to the other scientists. "So Azazel funds are going to your strategic rocket forces?"

Smiling thinly, Beria shrugged. "Reasonable precaution."

"Yes, corrupt paranoia pays off," Ritsuko groused lighting her cigarette.

"If pays off, not paranoia," Beria replied.

Misako chuckled. "Can you hit it?" she asked the Russian.

Beria gave Hiram a meaningful glance. "Like the fist of an angry god!"

Hiram coughed. He hoped the Cleveland branch was still on schedule. Even a half completed gadget at Vandenberg could make the difference.

Looking at the altitude information on the target icon, Beria then shook his head. "But... in... time. We can intercept but... I fear what will do if we give it window."

Across the command center, Insana shook his raised arms. "This is foolishness!"

Ritsuko slowly turned and glared at Insana down in the left terminal annex. "Yes?"

"You really think it's going to sit up there and wait for us to shoot it down?" Insana shrilly shouted.

Beria blinked. "Yes, that is fear."

"You realize that it will see you coming; you think your little bombs will work?" Insana crooned.

"That is how we killed several of them," Sudoplatov stated, now holding one of the secure analog phones that had been installed in the command center.

"And now? Now, they're clever."

Misako's eyes narrowed. "And now this one just shows up. Where did it come from?" she turned to Maya.

"It... it just appeared," Maya said. "All telemetry shows a similar... effect."

"No launch from the ground, no orbital insertion from outer space, it just appeared!" Insana tittered. "And we still don't have visual lock on it!"

Holding his forehead, Beria nodded. "Agree. No pattern confirmation, Angel wants us to know it there."

"Chto za huy," Sudoplatov swore, with the phone to his ear. "Apologies Sirs, recommend immediate launch, Plan Zhar-Ptitsa. Repeat Zhar-Ptitsa." Behind him, several Azazel officers were repeating targeting information to their equivalents in the Russian Strategic Rocket Service and the Space Force

Gendo rose from his seat on the highest tier. "What are you deploying?"

The Russian admiral looked up at the giant world map. "Half a dozen rockets in staggered pairs. If our scientists' babble is right, then this is some sort of ambush. Best to crush it now." He looked back up at Ikari.

Ritsuko concealed a little smile; even after everything, people still looked to him.

"US Space Command agrees," Makoto announced from his workstation.

"We're now getting their feed," Ritsuko added. "It's... it's bad."

"And naturally they recommend Russia goes first." Clasping his hands, Gendo let his gaze fall onto Hiram. "Admiral a bit of advice, keep something in reserve. I don't like how accommodating the enemy is."

Admiral Sudoplatov nodded and returned to authorizing the launch. The scientists resumed their research and the officers returned to deploying their forces. With forewarning Tokyo 3's defense-in-depth greatly expanded.

"Evangelions are ready for sortie!" Misako announced.

Gendo nodded. "Status of the transport aircraft?"

Misako bowed her head and called the airfield.

Fuyutsuki had ended his phone call and returned to Gendo. "Concerned?"

"Certainly. This is too handy. Our enemy is getting more intelligent, not less."

"Detecting multiple launches from Northern Eurasia!" Maya shouted as several blue diamond icons were added to the holographic display. In their wake were trails of blue lines that made them look like a primitive representation of a comet.

The command center began to hush as the Azazel rockets closed in onto the suspected Angel. It became such that the clicking of keyboards and the half conversations of those using the secure telephone units began to dominate the cavernous room.

"Now we shall see," Gendo said as the first of the blue diamonds began to overlap with the red chevron.

"Premature detonation! Target separation! No... multiple targets appearing. Ground approach vectors!" Maya cried.

"We're getting Pattern Orange on the ones that are within range of satellites and ground based detectors," Shigeru said as many of the chevrons shifted to orange in coloration.

With a flicker the holographic display updated. Streaks of red now covered the map. The initial chevron had turned into something resembling a blown over starfish as several targets spread from the initial point of detonation.

Of more concern to the command center were the many streaks that were suddenly growing, having appeared all over the global map.

"Eight, a dozen, no... twenty... twenty five. Thirty! Inbound echoes," Maya announced to the silenced room. "Most seem... smaller than the original."

Noting that the Russians were already giving new orders via the secure phones, Gendo stood. "Continue targeting. I want to find out where these things are going. Also get me visual lock on one of the damn things."

The scientists began to work and soon the map started to update. Many of the tracks were taken out by the Azazel missiles, but their efforts were largely limited to the starfish birthed by the initial echo.

Several light red elongated ovals began to cover the map. They represented the strike zones. About half were smeared over Europe, where they overlapped to form a bright splotch. Another splotch covered the middle section of East Asia centered over the Korean Peninsula and the East China Sea.

That left two over South America, two on the eastern part of North America, and a smattering of single ovals: southern Africa, East Australia, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East.

As Ritsuko, Maya and the other scientists worked on the telemetry the ovals began to shrink. In the auxiliary command section Insana was also working on the orbital problem. As the targets became more apparent the splotches broke up and each oval became a darker shade of red.

"Nailed it!" Maya said triumphantly. "They're cities!" She then deflated and her tone became more clinical. "Using the more remote echoes to start from and calibrating them all, it would seem that they're headed for the capital cities of the following countries," she said entering them on the central display.

The holographic updated by highlighting the twenty targeted countries and putting boxes around the suspected... impact sites: over twenty cities on all six of the remaining continents.

"The largest echo is en route to Tokyo 3. We think some of that is for Tokyo 2 however. After that it's Seoul and Beijing. Then Canberra, New Delhi, Moscow..." Maya broke off.

The map display made the other targets clear enough: Cape Town, Riyadh. Brasília, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Ottawa, and Washington, DC. And finally the giant splotch over Europe had resolved into Ankara, Berlin, Rome, Paris, London, Copenhagen, Brussels, and as Maya had already said Moscow.

"Should we have foreseen this?" Fuyutsuki quietly asked.

"Yes." Gendo muttered then looked up at the map. "We can take some comfort in it."

"Oh?"

"Capital cities. At least they're not going after our industrial capacity." Ikari stood again. "Alert all the targeted nations, and all Nerv branches."

Ritsuko nodded. "We're feeding this data direct to any defense system that's answering. We think the attack is still eight minutes out. There might be enough time to get their defenses up, or at least evacuate to shelters."

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Shinju leaned back in the plug. Controlling her breathing, she checked her weapon load out. Her bandoleers had the full gamut of sixteen inch shells: green-tipped canister shot, blue-tipped ground penetrators, red-tipped N2 warheads, and white-tipped nuclear warheads. The armorers did not seem too enthused about the opportunity to send up reloads. The front display of the plug was dominated by a tactical map. It showed the cluster of red echoes that marked the Angel. At lower heights were blue marks of Nerv, JSSDF, and Azazel assets. She made a point to not look at the strategic map; she had to focus on this battle. She glanced at the clock, enough time had passed. "ETA to impact?"

"Azazel hasn't even launched their naval batteries," Misako's exhausted voice said somewhat reproachfully.

"This is insane," Toji said from Unit 03. "What do you expect us do to if Azazel doesn't get it? Catch the damn thing?"

"Shut up. Just shut up," Kiko swore. Unlike the other pilots she had a sound-only link from her cockpit.

"No. If the enemy's coming in too fast then... we'll hold off." Misako hesitated and looked off the screen. Behind her the rest of the command staff paced between their stations, the giant holographic display reflecting off their bodies.

Misako continued. "If the roof gets a... minor rupture then we'll sortie you directly to the Geo-Front. If the whole Geo-Front goes up... well," Misako laughed. "If it looks like that, you'll be launched outside the city limits. If there's anything left you'll make contact with what Nerv assets remain. There's a comm. team on the AY-11. Failing that you'll take orders from the Azazel command post aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov."

Toji flexed his fingers. "Shit."

"You do not see direct combat, Captian... Oneesan?" Rei's eyes lowered slightly.

Misako gave a shrug. "Either the Russians kill the thing, or it slams into the city. If it hits it'll break through the roof armor or it won't," her words became more distant. "Azazel's about to launch local assets."

Toji looked at the map. It was anticlimactic. Blue dots scattered around Japan some of them coming from what had to be submarines raced up. As they vanished in a series of blips, the red target markers decreased and the next defense layer went off.

Toji set his teeth. He knew that a nuclear blast could take out an AT field but it had to be right up against it. Here the angel had split itself up was using each sub piece to intercept Azazel's missiles. He saw that the enemy echoes were starting to split up. One was still going to Tokyo 2 while the bulk... the bulk were still coming towards them.

He thought about his father, sister, and Hikari but... it was like the other cities. They were already in the shelters or they were not. The shelters would be deep enough or they would not be. His stomach churned and despite the LCL his face felt like it had started to sweat.

All of the Kanto region lit up like a blue Christmas tree. This was immediately overshadowed by what looked like a continuous blue fire as the batteries in the Kanagawa prefecture immediately surrounding Tokyo 3 let off. Most of the chevrons evaporated leaving a handful of overlapping echoes.

"Damn," Toji mused. He could imagine the fierce nuclear storm burning above the city as the missiles pummeled the comet-like formation. A chain of horrendous airbursts would be falling down towards the city. He swallowed his mouth feeling dry despite the LCL. Toji knew he could access visual feed of the sky above them but... part of him hesitated. He looked on the displays of the Ayanami sisters and guessed by the churning orange reflections on both their faces that they were watching the onrushing storm.

"It's not that impressive," Kiko chided. "Most of it's JSSDF. Just N2's. Only one in ten's Azazel. Rest are decoys."

Toji shivered.

"Holy..." A tinge of color came onto Misako's face. "It's... slowing down."

"The bastard's trying to land!" Ritsuko shouted from behind the elder clone.

"Final line! Weapons free! Air Assets if you get a clear shot take it!" Misako shouted.

By now the Angel had just come in range of the Azazel Su-33's and their Moskva IIB's. Some of their icons vanished, it looked like the Angel had counter-attacked. However, their launches were momentarily blotted out by the batteries mounted on the ridges surrounding Tokyo 3 opening up. Much like a car slamming into a pond being disturbed by a torrential downpour, the barrage of conventional missiles was interrupted by a pair of nuclear explosions.

Faintly, faintly feeling the vibrations of the ridgeline batteries, Toji now felt the pressure waves of the twin explosions hitting the Geo Front. The explosions were high up. Metal groaned and buildings shook but it was no more than a earthquake; the ceiling held. Pattern Blue alerts also flared on his display.

"It's..." Misako coughed. "It's still alive. We gave the damn thing a cushion to land on." She gave a brittle laugh. "Sorry kids, looks like I lied, turns out you're fighting in the city. It's not moving much; we think the angel's stunned. Go up and kill it."

Toji looked up as the rows and rows of armored doors slipped aside clearing the catapult track. Despite being on an oblique and indirect track to the surface he could still see a ruddy orange-red glow at the top, like an over-stoked furnace. "Well, shit."

"Come on, Rookie, this is what they pay us for," Kiko chuckled, Unit 02 cocking its head in something like a smirk.

The Fourth Child whistled. "Over the top!" Shinju cackled as the catapult launched her Evangelion. Followed shortly by the rest of the squad.

End Chapter 10

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, DGC, and Wray.

And yes I did have a couple cameos that fans of Insana/o would be familiar with.

Also I know this is a cliffhanger, but do not worry, the next chapter is written and will be released once is had been pre-read and corrected.

OMAKE

Finishing his song, Harvey looked up to see an empty room, turning to Elizabeth, he opined, "Philistines, the lot of them. Wouldn't know good music if it fell out of the sky and hit them."

Elizabeth took his arm and led him off the stage. "Come, let's get to the shelter."

The room was empty in its elegance.

Then the lid of the baby grand that Elisabeth Finevoice had been playing rose and a thin man with a genial goatee and glasses climbed out. Standing on the dais, he adjusted his loose fitting red tie and dark sports coat and straightened his cap.

"I thought they'd never leave."


	11. Defects and Acquisitions Part 2

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh "Sunshine" Temple

Here's the disclaimer of non-ownership: Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Team Fortress 2 is owned by Valve. The Spoony Experiment is owned by Noah Antwiler

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Eleven: Defects and Acquisitions Part 2

The Evangelion lift slammed into place. Bolts releasing, Toji immediately slammed down into a prone position. He was on the upslope to one of the ridges that surrounded the city. In front of him was a line of blocky storage bunkers. As he went down, he caught a glimpse of the city. It was dominated by the battered wreck of the Angel's body.

Immediately, he was reminded of the Ramiel battle. Once again an angel had fallen to the eerily flat surface of the city under full retraction. Looking out he could see fires in many of the buildings of Old Tokyo 3 to the north. Swaths of trees on the surrounding ridges had also been blown down, though he was not sure if that was from the angel's impact or the airbursts.

The difference was in scale. Ramiel was a huge solid mass that took up several city blocks. While probably no heavier, Sahaquiel was thinner and far more spread out. The gangly Angel draped over much of the downtown of Tokyo 3.

A great orange and green eye was surrounded by titanic arcing red lobes edged in waving fringes. A rainbow-like iridescence ran along the lobes. The fringes themselves were made up of rows and rows of disturbingly humanoid, waving figures that easily stood several stories tall.

The other pilots checked in. Rei's lift had deposited her a bit to the side and in front of Toji. Glancing at his map revealed that Kiko's and Shinju's Evangelions were in a similarly emplaced fire team to the east of his position.

However, Toji's fixation was on the giant eye and the bright red throbbing light at the very center. No taller than an Evangelion, it glowed invitingly, the centermost circle in a series of concentric rings.

"We have close air support and Azazel assets but with the Angel this close to the ground- We're reading an energy spike!" Captain Ayanami's voice suddenly shouted.

Keeping prone, Toji rose up on his elbows and shouldered his Mark 9. He pulled the trigger. A cloud of smoke and fire bigger than his Eva blasted out of the barrel as an N2 penetrator warhead shot out and hit true. An even larger explosion lit up the bare armored expanse of downtown. Supersonic waves of pressure slammed against the Angel's AT field, just as a heavy red beam shot out of the eye's pupil. Automatically, Toji squeezed the trigger again and a second penetrator round blasted the top off the beam and sent a bit of its energy back into the Angel causing it to writhe up and emit a great hissing noise.

"Good going Rookie!" Kiko said as she braced herself and took a shot of her own. The first was another penetrator, but the second barrel launched a barrage of N2 canister shot across the angel's writhing lobes.

"Mind your chambers," Rei gently chided Toji as she took a shot on the angel.

Toji nodded and checked his rifle and then his revolver.

"AT field still up," Shinju said as she swapped out the cartridges in her Mark 9 rifle. "Toji, Oneechan, covering fire."

Reloading, Kiko laughed as Unit 02 rose to her feet.

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Seeing the arcs of missiles and line of immense explosions Wing Commander Owen Lysaght felt acutely impotent. Still nothing more than a cloud of fire-wreathed specks, the Angel fell towards the earth. It shrugged off everything Azazel launched at it, detaching pieces of itself to intercept the brunt of the explosion.

In the thinner, high altitude atmosphere more energy was released as ionizing gamma radiation and x-rays instead of the more customary high pressure shockwave seen closer to the ground. Circling the city in a wide orbital, Lysaght kept his plane out of range. The Angel was still outside of the range of his weapons, but not outside Azazel's Su-33's.

As soon as the Angel's altitude brought it within range of their Angel Busters, the blue and grey planes attacked. Sleek, nimble and - compared, to the long comet-like Angel – the planes pounced like eager little corgis. Then the Angel gave counter fire. Thick red beams sliced across the sky downing two planes and knocking out some of the missiles.

"Oh bugger me," Owen muttered. He was also patched into the Nerv Command Center. A measure of respect formed at their calm in the face of the seemingly inevitable. However, the Nerv comm. officers in the back of his plane seemed to be a bit too eager to take up the reins.

Then the inner perimeter batteries went off saturating the Angel in ineffective, but distracting fire. However Owen concentrated more on the rival airframes. Exploiting the diversion the remaining planes launched their payloads. Azazel cruise missiles hit and bloomed in the mid-morning light, adding another pair of suns to the string of growing light. The Angel... bobbled as each explosion hit it one after the other blunting its forward momentum, reducing it to a more sedate fall.

This time the airburst was low enough to cause a pressure wave that a minute later rumbled across the bulk of Owen's plane. By that time the Angel's fiery shroud had been torn away and with deliberate slowness it still dropped onto Tokyo 3. But it was less like a comet-strike and more like a bag of meat falling off a cliff.

"Right, then!" Owen grinned and pushed the throttles forward and turned the plane on a course back to the city.

"Wing Commander," Captain Ayanami's voice cut in. "We're sending the Eva's topside, requesting air-support."

"Yeah, yeah, Stop mucking about and get to the Angel, ETA two minutes," Owen said. He checked over the readouts, all green. He then keyed to the crew in the compartment directly aft-ward. "It looks like the damn fools didn't get to complete the job and they've called us in. So, let's show them what we can do. Reactor?" Owen asked, redundantly. Any sign of trouble should have come up at pre-flight, or on his cockpit readout, or failing that told by the reactor technician himself. But it was good to check and recheck.

"We're good. Temperature green. Plenty of reserve coolant."

"Engines?"

"Running clean, thrust nominal. You've got some redline to play with, but don't burn them out."

Owen grunted. "Gun?"

"Inductive on standby. Cannon warmed up and ready."

"And the updates?" Owen asked; they had tried the new settings at the Mount Takanosu Testing Range but without an AT field to fire on they were working in the dark. For some reason Nerv was unwilling to let them test on an Evangelion.

The technician chuckled. "Harmonic software package loaded."

"Right, here's hoping that Booksmarts' little equation holds up," Owen said before switching back to Nerv Command's channel. "All green, closing to target."

Displays updated with targeting information showing the Angel, and a split fire team of Evangelions. The display was soon rendered superfluous as the plane's angle of attack cleared the eastern ridge around Tokyo 3. Owen's eyes widened. "Damn, that's a whoppin' big target." Flailing like an angry squid, the pulsing, thrashing red Angel took up most of the downtown.

Down below the red and purple Evas rushed the gigantic Angel. Further back, the blue and black Evas were firing in sequence. The Angel rolled to one side and a long blindingly red beam lanced out, cutting against black and blue armor. AT fields bloomed and the beam splashed to the side, the bright backsplash rivaling the N2 bursts.

"This is YA-11, on final approach," Owen keyed into the Pilots' channel.

"Glad to have yah," Toji replied. Black dropped to the ground while blue dived behind an ammunition building. "Bit busy, though," he shouted as he ejected the power cable and plugged a fresh one into his Evangelion.

Unit 03 and Unit 00 were far enough apart that the Angel's beam had to rake back and forth to keep hitting each. A new explosion came from the opposite side, drawing the angel's ire. The creature rolled back and let its gaze fall onto the purple and red Evas.

"Go, Princess! Go!" Kiko yelled as she took aim.

Splitting ahead of Unit 02, Unit 01 continued crossing the bare no-man's land between them and the Angel. The beam shot out, splashed over the purple Evangelion. Unit 01's AT field flared and it continued closing in.

Nearly simultaneous, the other three Evas fired. A trio of N2 explosions lit up the city's valley, snuffing out the red beam. Then the silvery humanoid fringes on the Angel's flared lobes quivered and began to drop off. Eyeless, each had long smooth, gangly limbs and rounded abbreviated heads.

"Scheisse, not again!" Unit 02 transmitted. A familiar lunged at her, grabbed the Eva's legs and exploded. Another pair followed. "Shit! Not again!" Kiko took her combat spade and cut though the two others.

"Another army of midgets?" Toji grumbled as several platoons' worth of silvery multi-story tall figures dropped onto the ground. They resembled the Israfel army.

"Reloading," Shinju frowned. "Wing Commander, can you please clear the way?" she asked in her sweetest voice.

"Right oh, Poisy. Now watch that big raygun it's got," Owen said as he flicked the trigger. An eighty-five round per second stream of two-inch diameter heavy-metal darts shot out at twenty times the speed of sound. The speed was such that the air in the dart's path ionized and turned to plasma.

Flaps and rudders twisted as the plane's nose slalomed back and forth covering the bulk of downtown Tokyo 3. Flaming wisps of plasma flowed over the city as thousands of darts rained down.

Concrete and armored plating shattered and crumpled as the angelic familiars were pierced, blown apart by sheer kinetic energy. Broken and splattered body parts began to fill Tokyo 3's plazas, streets, and armored roof panels.

AT field flaring, the Angel's body was raked but withstood the attack. Its eye began to glow but, Shinju aimed the Mighty Mo and cut the beam off with another N2 shot. Behind her, Kiko fired a canister shot at the approaching group of familiars.

"Hey Rookie, Wonder-girl get down here and clear our backs!" Kiko yelled. Unit 02 took out two shells and was about to load them into her Mark 9. Then some of the Angel familiars charged. She then cross-drew her revolver and began to take measured shots at the few stragglers that had withstood the canister shot barrage.

"Readying another run. Hold on," Owen transmitted as the YA-11 blasted past the city and banked around to return.

"Sure, sure, closer to the minion army, the giant eye of death, and the huge hellfire plane," Toji muttered with a clenched smile.

"Affirmative," Rei added as they wheeled around to place themselves between their teammates and the remnants of the pseudo-Israfel horde.

She took two shots blasting a cone of canister shot cutting out a wedge of the enemy horde.

"Down!" Toji yelled as Unit 03 raised his rifle. Before him Rei dropped to her Unit's knee and broke open her rifle's action and began to reload. His fingers flexed as the targeting reticle on his display wobbled between Unit 02 and a wing of Angels. He swung his gun a bit to the side until it was clear of both Unit 02 and Unit 00; he fired.

"Go, Shinju! Kill the bastard!" Toji stepped back and found another group of enemies close towards him.

Now under the Angel's immense shadow, Shinju grinned and flared her AT field. Two shots fired from the Mighty Mo sparking against the Angel's eye. Grabbing the far end of the riffle sling, she flung the rifle up and over her shoulder fin, and drew her revolver and spade.

Flashing, the red iris opened and an immense figure shot out of the massive vertical aperture. Vaguely humanoid, it had an armored head with a somewhat avian shape. However, green eyes glowed from a disturbingly feminine face. Strong ropy purple muscles banded across its chest and supported wiry arms that ended in long, long lances made from spiraled ribbons of a glimmering purple metal.

Grinning, Shinju fired her revolver; the fourteen inch bore shell shot out and splashed against the Angel's AT field.

The Angel darted forward and thrust its arms, knocking aside the purple Eva's sidearm and combat spade. The tips bit into both palms and cut though the armor and blew through the backs pinning the Eva.

"Waahh, uwaaaahhh! Ahhh!" Shinju screamed as her hands... her Evangelions hands were pierced. The lances pinned her arms then ripped them apart, splaying her arms out in an almost cruciform stance. She tried to pull her arms down but the Angel extended the lances to keep her from escaping.

"Synchronization is too high!" Ritsuko's voice broke in on the command channel. "We have to get her out. Kiko-"

Shinju's screamed chocked down as she focused and let the pain wash through her. She clenched her jaw and pushed her Evangelion's shoulders up. Her arms, her Unit's arms flared with pain. "Open your heart; open your heart," she chanted the words barely passing her lips.

"No," Misako countermanded. Her red eyes hardened. "She can handle it. Kiko counter-attack."

Blinking quizzically, Sahaquiel pressed forward with her arms. The abomination of the Adversary's flesh bent down and fell to its knees. Pinpricks from the other perversions peppered the armor of her outer body, but it was no matter. Her secondary weapons could keep them at bay.

Sahaquiel extended herself farther; she could pick up the enemy's cries. Then the transmission... changed.

Screams of pain turned to pained but manic laughter "AHAHAHA HAHA!" She coughed and leaned forward squeezing her hands against the cockpit's controls. "Did you think you could _beat_ me?" She demanded clenching her Evangelion's hands against the lances. Purple fire shot out burning off the armor and revealing white flesh and spurting gouts of blood.

Sweeping its own leg, Unit 01 went from kneeling to flat on its back. She rolled over crossing the two lances in an X and sprang back to her feet. Clenching her teeth, Shinju dug her unit's fingers into the spirals of the lance, leaned back, and pulled.

The Angel shrieked loud enough to rattle the Eva's armor and trip the cutoffs on the external microphones. The angel's torso was now pulled out to nearly its hips and there was a squelchy tearing as the creature was pulled as far as it could go. The torso pulled out and to the side, the aperture was now clear, revealing the glowing core at the center of the Angel's main body.

"Oh no! I am not done with you yet!" Panting, ignoring the numbness spreading up her arms, Shinju steeled herself and took another step back and continued to pump out her AT field, eroding the Angel's field in return. She wrenched her arms back and the tearing increased both on the Angel's torso and in Unit 01's arms.

Shaking, Shinju looked past the Angel and saw a red figure running towards them. "Now Kiko! Now Kill it!" Seeing the blade affixed to the end of Kiko's Mark 9 Shinju grinned.

Unit 02 lunged forward and gave a classic upper thrust. The progressive knife was a bit short to be a classic bayonet but it was enough. There was an orange flash as the AT field flickered. The blade pierced the Angel's flesh, sinking to the hilt in its chest.

"No! The core!" Shinju cried just as Kiko pulled the trigger.

The N2 shell detonated inside the Angel. The entire torso vaporized and blasted away much of the outer covering of the eye. Drenched in pulpy Angel flesh, both Evangelions were knocked down and the end of Kiko's Mark 9 was bent and blasted.

"Guts and glory, Princess!" Kiko yelled as she drew her revolver and shot at the Angel's core. Her body sang and she felt alive. In that moment the weight of the armor binding her greater self vanished.

Shinju's growl was cut off when she looked up. The giant grey mass of the YA-11 had returned. "Get down! Air support."

"I'll get you some breathing room." Wing Commander Owen Lysaght transmitted. The hulking plane nosed down. "Here's hoping Booksmarts is right."

Unit 02 immediately dropped prone and the rail-gun kicked in. Hyper-sonic darts slammed into the AT field surrounding the core. The immense friction from the velocity caused the air to burn. The gun gave off an even more shrill whine with an odd undertone, as if the rate of fire was being pulsed in some way. The charge lasted for ten seconds then doubled. A line of fire slammed into the Angel, but the AT field held.

What happened next was only recorded by the high speed cameras onboard the Dreadhog. Still the AT field withstood the pinpoint pummeling, but it began to waver. Oscillations increased and the field began to deflect springing forward and back until it slammed into the core, and again, and again.

There was a sound much like a frozen lake having the water beneath flash boil, and the core cracked. The AT field fell. The tail end of the strafing run sliced through the crystalline material, gutting the entirety of the Angel's central cavity.

"Not so smug now! Are ya?

The Angel quivered and collapsed. Starting from the eye, and expanding outward the Angel's body lost cohesion. Lobes and flanges fell apart and separated into waves of homogenous red mush.

"How's that bullet feel? Feel good? Huh! Huh! That's for Canberra you bloody monstrosity!" Owen yelled.

Her arms limply held at her sides, Shinju watched as the piles of Angelic flesh poured towards her in a slow wave that went to her Eva's shins. The power cable running into the Evangelion jostled as the pulpy goo washed over it.

Glancing at her bent Mark 9, Unit 02 shouldered the weapon and checked her revolver. "Is that it?" Kiko asked.

"I'm not picking up any Pattern Blue," Rei transmitted as she squared away her own kit.

"We're reading clear, too," Misako transmitted. "Airborne sensors are confirming it."

Owen snorted lightly. "Right, my eggheads are saying it's all dead, too."

On the picture in picture on the Eva's displays, Misako's image slumped forward slightly. "I... we think it's over. We'll get you down shortly."

"Oh, delay?" Kiko asked.

"Not much, just have to check which lift gates aren't buried and aren't jammed."

Toji looked over and saw one of the Evangelion lifts a couple blocks away. It was half buried by a pile of Angel goo and was holed with a line of railgun dart craters.

"Damn," he surveyed the rest of the city. Hummocks of mushy red flesh cut across the downtown in gooey spidering lines. Scattered silvery lumps were all that was left of the horde of familiars. The few places where the city surface was clear had been swept clean by the layers of explosions, then covered in burns, and then finally torn up by the YA-11's nuclear-powered rail gun.

To the north Old Tokyo 3 fared a bit better. There were fires and many of the buildings had windows blown out, but they largely stood. He saw the blocky-low slung edifice of the Pilot's barracks and turned away "What a mess."

"Could have been worse Rookie," Kiko said as Unit 02 shrugged.

Shinju nodded. "Operation Excelsior."

"Are you functional?" Rei asked her sister, eyeing Unit 01's arms.

Shinju shook her head. "I'm fine, but my hands... my unit's hands no."

"Right," Toji looked around, he supposed that Ramiel's corpse was bigger. Though it was a lot less messy. "Well it's only fair I guess, this time it was the Angel's turn to slam into city."

"Ha, ha, ha," Kiko stiffly laughed. "Not funny Rookie."

"Still? I'm up to my knees in Angel, and I'm still a rookie? Maybe you're Rusty then."

Unit 02 froze. "Rusty?" Kiko's voice repeated.

"You're red and old, Second Child."

Wincing, Shinju coughed. "You should apologize."

Looking at his Evangelion and then at Shinju's Toji sighed. "Fine, just up to my ankles then."

"Not to me."

Toji blinked and turned. Eyes flashing, Unit 02 lunged towards him and slammed her fist right into Unit 03's neck. The black Evangelion flipped back and slid for a couple blocks.

"Kiko!" Misako shouted.

"Stupid Rookie!"

Groaning Toji found his rattled mind beginning to clear. The first thing he heard was one of the Ayanami's... Rei's... calm distant voice. "Rusty does mean corroded, a bio-mechanical life-form may not like such a comparison.

"Oh. Yeah. I guess it could also be read that way. Oops." Toji switched to the private comm. "Uh... Asuka... Kiko?"

"What?" Kiko growled as Unit 02 loomed over him.

"Sorry, I... I didn't... I was just calling you old, and making a joke on your... hair color."

"Right, because that's so much better," she snapped.

"It is! I didn't think-"

Kiko's laughter cut him off. "Yeah, you got that right." She paused. "Scheisse, you weren't thinking. Damn."

"Huh?"

"Ice Queen's chewing me out on the other channel."

"My Unit's not that damaged," Toji coughed. "I shouldn't be that bad."

"Tell that to her."

"Okay," Toji went back to the private tactical channel. "Uh, that was my fault. I got Kiko angry and I... slipped."

Misako stared. "The Second Child uses trillion yen hardware to clock you in the most unprofessional and public incident Nerv has had in months and you're covering for her? Badly?"

"Yeah..."

"At least say you fell down some stairs. If you're going to be obvious, be obvious enough to be funny."

Toji absently nodded. "I was walking to the lift and I tripped over a dead Angel. Kiko's just helping me up."

Unit 02 tilted her head, but took the offered arm from the black Evangelion.

"Yeah, that's what I'm doing," Kiko absently said as she pulled Unit 03 back to its feet. "Come on Rookie, can't have you tripping over yourself."

"Yeah," Toji looked at the red Evangelion. "Thanks for the help."

"Ugh, whatever," Misako sighed. "We've got lift Seventeen working again. You'll need to take it one at a time, and no... tripping."

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Unit 02 descended to the Evangelion docking cages. Her head twisted as the shoulder restraints bolted into place and the various catwalks and bridges locked in. The crimson Eva began to power down, and consciousness began to slip away. More locks and limiters slid into place, entombing the Evangelion. Unit 02 looked out and saw her sisters being similarly restrained.

Vision fading, radio transmissions cutting out, Unit 02 found herself feeling warm... disembodied. Cold rushed against her as fluid began to drain. Her neck jerked and her vision flashed. She blinked, her eyesight was cut down and she found herself in moist darkness. She blinked and selected interior lights on her HUD. Softly illuminating the modified plug.

The display screens on the outer walls had been kept off. And unlike the other entry plugs, this plug cockpit had access ports added at the Pilot's waist, shoulder blades, and above her head. In the soft light the forest of cables and robotic arms seemed to hold the gynoid in a cold embrace. The tubes that covered her mouth and nose pulled back and she leaned forward to cough up the LCL in her lungs. The motion was stiff, controlled, mechanical.

"System, release," Unit 02's sapiency driver stated.

There was a rustling at her back as power cables retracted. Gasping, she pulled her head forward. Her arms unclenched and popped off of the cockpit controls. The socket her brain prosthesis cable plugged into rotated and came loose.

Nigokiko then reached back and released the cable and pulled it forward so the end fell in front of her shoulder. Kiko looked aside as her waste tubes were retracted and then slotted her crotch plate black into place. "Disconnected, ready for extraction," she radioed, keeping the display screens disabled.

Armor slid aside and the entry plug ejected and was grabbed. Kiko gasped as the custom-built crane arm took the plug and pulled it out. She felt the last links to her greater self sever. The locks on the inner plug retracted and the main door hinged open.

Feeling very small, Kiko looked up at the gantries, overhead crane rails, and conduits that lined the ceiling of the docking cage. Exhaling and inhaling she made sure her lungs were cycling properly.

Grinning, she checked to make sure all the various cables and tubes were clear. After making sure her holster was still on, she then jumped out of the cockpit and stretched her shoulders.

"What a rush!" She frowned. No one met her on the catwalk. There was a crowd around Unit 01's plug.

The Forth child was sitting on the side of her cockpit with a slightly distant look. Her plugsuit had been expanded and fell around her loosely. In fact her arms had actually been pulled out at the neck hole and were being inspected.

Rei stood next to her steadily eyeing everyone else.

A pair of medics were inspecting Shinju's arms and hands. There was a pair of angry red marks on either side of her palms. However, they were still overshadowed by the scars she bore from the rope burns.

Flexing his arms, Toji stood a bit further back.

"What's going on?" Kiko asked the Fifth.

Toji looked at the gynoid. It was easy to forget that he was taller than her, even if you counted her hair. "Shinju's hands. Stabbed. High sync rate."

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Shinju softly said as she pulled herself back into the plug-suit. Blushing she pulled it back on and hit the cuff button, turning it back to skin-tight mode.

Kiko blinked. "Huh," she said absently.

"Uh, you okay, Red?" Toji asked.

"Red?" Kiko's bright almost waxy lips curled into a smile. "Not bad Rookie."

"You seemed a bit distracted." Toji tapped his chin. "If you didn't use the same locker room as her I'd be having questions."

"Princess... hah!" After chuckling, Kiko narrowed her eyes. "And what about you?"

Toji held back the first comment that entered his mind. Being punched in the neck by an angry war-machine did produce an ounce of tact, and he knew mentioning anything... physical would be a bad idea. Toji then held up his fingers and began counting. "She's two years younger than me, my sister's best friend, and can silently shiv me in the back."

Watching Shinju get to her feet and be led down the catwalk by Rei, Kiko's grin grew. "She is like a Gothic little ninja."

"And the captain thinks you're unprofessional," Toji shook his head.

"Hey! I'm plenty professional!"

"You punched an Evangelion." Rei stated as the four of them exited the catwalk and entered the corridor that led to the Pilot locker rooms and briefing rooms.

"Like you've... never let your temper get the better of you?"

Rei inclined her head.

"Gah!" Kiko's choker flashed yellow. "And they call me the robot?"

"Who?" Shinju asked.

"Yeah, we're all afraid you'll deck us if we get you mad," Toji said.

The intercom in the corridor clicked on. "Enough bickering," Misako said. "Go to briefing room 4. There's something we need to discuss."

"After we shower right?" Toji wiped a bit of LCL off his brow.

Long hair heavy and limp on her head, Shinju nodded in agreement.

There was a pause. "Sorry guys... this... this is urgent."

Toji looked at the clones. "All of us? Can't just me and Kiko go first? I'm sure Rei and Shinju can get in later, if it's that urgent."

Misako laughed. "No, this isn't about that. We'll have to deal with that later. Just go to the briefing room, Ritsuko and I will be over shortly."

"Oh..." Kiko still felt apprehensive. She told herself that it was due to Captain Ayanami's promise of later reprisals but...

"This isn't good," Shinju said as they entered the briefing room.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious Princess," Kiko grumbled.

Looking around the briefing room, Toji pulled out a plain plastic chair. LCL dripped off his plugsuit. After the day's events, the plain, empty room with its twin rows of chairs, long tables, and idle display screens was a welcome relief.

He turned to see Kiko striding forward and primly taking a seat. Next to her were the Ayanami sisters, both had their hair limply plastered down by the red-orange liquid. Shinju seemed especially put off, constantly wiping dripping LCL away from her cheeks and eyes.

"Really, this isn't good," Kiko groused, crossing her arms before her.

"What do you think's wrong?" Toji asked, finally sitting down. He figured Nerv wanted them here right away; they could clean the chairs later on. "Maybe... maybe a shelter got hit? We've all got family and..."

Glaring, the gynoid turned to face him. Remembering her father, Kiko's glare softened slightly. "I suppose so, but our... relatives are supposed to be taken to the deep shelters. Especially in the apartments, you know what Azazel's supposed to do."

Shinju nodded. "They even have a procedure for taking Flins down."

"Yeah... the city's a mess, but it's not that bad." Toji sighed. "Whatever it is, they don't want to blurt it out."

"Got it in one Rookie," Kiko tapped the table. "Something is up."

"It is not another Angel." Rei stated.

Shinju frowned.

"Right, Wondergirl." Kiko tapped her finger on the table before her. If it were another Angel they would have stayed in the Evangelions or at the very least they would be briefed on the situation immediately. The preceding battle was a prime example; time had been so short that they had not even used the briefing room, instead having been sent straight to their units.

"Then it's something else, something bad." Toji lowered his head. "Well... shit. Maybe someone was caught outside."

Shinju gave a little whine and lowered her head.

"You're not that far off," Misako said as she and Ritsuko stepped into the briefing room. The pink haired woman went to her sisters and stood between them, putting her hands on their shoulders.

Ritsuko walked over to the lectern at the front of the room and logged into the terminal before her. "Now, I'd like to congratulate you four on all that you've done today but-"

"Cut the crap," Misako growled. "They know what they did; they know they won. We wouldn't be here if they didn't."

"Technically, it was that angry Australian," Kiko muttered.

"Don't forget the few thousand missiles Azazel and the JSSDF shot off," Toji added.

"Right." Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "Fine. I tried to sugar-coat this but, whatever." The display dominating the front wall turned on. A map of the world appeared. Nearly two dozen cities were marked out with cheery color coded labels.

Kiko's eyes immediately went to Europe, then Germany. "No." Her face slackened and her shoulders squared as her emotions drained.

"Fucking Angel." Toji put his hand to his face, covering one eye. He did not have to look at the numbers. The color coding was clear enough. Only four cities were outlined in a bright green. Six were a worrying yellow. Four were a harsh red, and seven were totally blacked-out.

Berlin was one of the red ones.

Shinju and Rei were silent. Their red eyes stoically studying the figures and numbers.

For a moment Toji was jealous of the clinical clones. At least Kiko had an outburst before tuning out. "What, was this all a diversion?" he asked.

"No, the Angel concentrated most of its power here. There weren't any AT fields to speak of on the other attacks. We think that an Angel can split up its AT field only so far. Still... only the most well defended cities made it," Ritsuko said, her tone professional, distant. Unsurprisingly, Moscow, Washington DC, Tokyo 2 and 3 were the green cities.

Shinju swallowed. "How... how many?"

Ritsuko glanced to Misako who nodded and squeezed her sisters' shoulders.

"Forty million." Ritsuko looked to the map. "We expect it to climb... not in any of the Level Four cites. But the Red and Yellow cites... well, we're not sure how many survived... or will survive the 'glancing' blow."

"We didn't kill it slow enough," Kiko said evenly, monotonously.

Misako nodded.

"Is that it? We kill the Angel but it still goes on to nuke a buncha cities? How's that fair?" Toji looked to the map and saw some of the numbers tick up. He laughed. All this technology and Nerv used it to keep a live casualty estimate.

"Life's not fair," Misako stated.

"I guess we shoulda killed it faster," Toji's shoulders bent forward and he looked at the table in front of him. Anything was better than looking at the shiny user-friendly map.

"It didn't matter. The Impacts were synchronized. By the time you launched the capitals of the G20 nations had already been hit," Ritsuko explained.

"And you didn't tell us?" Kiko demanded her orange eyes locked on Berlin.

"You had more pressing matters to deal with."

Squeezing her sister's shoulders tighter, Misako looked to the other pilots. "There was nothing you could do to help those other nations. You'd have to be in 'em."

"Easy for you to say," Kiko grumbled."

"Is that it? Can we go back home?" Toji asked.

Ritsuko looked over to Misako.

Toji craned his neck to catch his commanding officer's expression. "Oh come on! What now? Who's dead now?"

"In this city?" Ritsuko snorted. "A few thousand. Mostly people that didn't get to shelters in time. Azazel lost a few planes. We and JSSDF lost some ground personnel when the Angel blasted the missile batteries and hit a control post. Expected levels."

Toji nodded. Urban combat was never clean. Especially when N2s and nukes were going off.

"But that's not what you were asking about, was it Rookie?" Kiko coldly asked.

Toji held his tongue. He then gave a curt nod. "Nope, you're right. So, what else is wrong Doc? One of our family get hit? A... friend from school? Shinju's giant puppy?" He paused. "Our guards? Don't tell me some of them were stuck topside."

"Azazel only lost three fighter pilots," Misako said.

Shinju looked up. "Who?"

Misako frowned. "I... don't know. I'll have to get their names later."

Pushing her bangs aside, Shinju held her gaze before looking back to the big map.

"We'll need to handle that too. Piloting's risky enough and they did slow that big bastard down," Kiko said, resulting in an approving nod from Shinju and a raised eyebrow from Toji and Rei.

"Yes." Ritsuko cleared her throat. "No, none of your classmates were hurt, and the barracks building was fully evacuated. The reason you can't go back is that we're doing a radiation sweep. Nerv and medical and water facilities get priority, but the rest of the city needs to be cleared. Not including the damage from that plane... and you guys."

Shinju lowered her head.

"Geeze, how bad Doc?" Toji asked.

"I have a map-" Seeing the Pilot's reaction, Ritsuko stopped. Even Rei had glared at her offer. "Anyway... the closest Angel Busters were still air bursts. Fallout's limited to bits of the Angel itself, which is... worrying. We-" Ritsuko hesitated her voice resigned. "We should be doing pretty good. Much better than the first Angel Azazel blew up at least. That one was on the ground, kicked up a lot of irradiated dust. We don't have that problem here. Downwind of us could be worse, but... again, we've got a lot of experience." Ritsuko sighed.

Today's battle had ensured Japan's dominance in the field of nuclear detonations in anger, thoroughly establishing the lead over the Pakistani-Indian war. Ritsuko glanced at the map. _At least this time we didn't get the majority of the casualties, _she thought, feeling a bit cold.

Shinju looked at the map again. It was barely two dozen cities but it looked like so many. "Why'd they do it?"

"Princess... the Angels want to kill us, all of us." Kiko stated.

"But these aren't the largest cities, they're the capital ones."

"The Group of 20 to be specific." Ritsuko sighed. "We saw it too. The Angels hit the capital cities of the top twenty major economies of the world. This was political."

"Great, will the Angels appear on some giant screen and make their demands?"

"Demands? They want us all dead," Kiko sniffed. "They're just trying to twist the knife as it goes in."

Toji looked to the map again. Mexico City, Cape Town, Buenos Aries, Brasilia, New Delhi, Riyadh, and Ankara all gone. Canberra, Berlin, Rome, and Copenhagen were not much better off. "Hell of a twist," he said, his mouth feeling dry.

"What about next time? Will they just keep frying cities?" Kiko folded her hands, and studied the way the armor around her fingers flexed and interlocked. "How many more... victories like this can we take."

"As many as it takes." Ritsuko stated, narrowing her eyes. "You were all born after the Second Impact, but here's the truth. Even if every single city were destroyed." She turned the display off. "It would still be under a tenth of the lives lost in the Impact. Over two in a single day, another billion in the chaos of the aftermath.

"Now the Angels want another Impact. One where they finish the job. Focus on that, that is what you stopped today." Ritsuko took out a lighter and began to smoke. "You want to see the ultimate precautionary principal in action?

"This is it. This is why the Japanese government has practically begged the Russians to use nukes over their airspace and has let the JSSDF buy whatever doomsday planes they think could make a difference, this is why the Americans are dusting off ideas that were too insane, impractical, and expensive for the Cold War's Strategic Defensive Initiative, this is why the UN green-lit the trillions and trillions of yen it would take to even start Program E."

Ritsuko exhaled a curl of smoke escaping her lips. "We're burning money and resources as fast as we can, all in the hope that we'll be able to take the enemy down before they manage to kill every last one of us."

"So, gung ho then? Fight because we're the only ones?"

Rei titled her head. "We are all expendable."

"Maybe you are, clone." Kiko evenly stated.

Rei kept her head cocked then made a slow nod. "You are hardly excluded. Evangelion sapiency drivers can be constructed on an as needed basis."

Kiko stared. She turned to Ritsuko. "You wouldn't... if something happened to me..."

Ritsuko did not miss a heartbeat. "I'd find or construct a replacement pilot for Unit 02."

"But... I AM Unit 02."

"Irrelevant. I did the same when the Third Child died and when you were wounded. Azazel is replacing the pilots they lost. Thankfully one actually managed to eject, but he's too wounded."

Shinju lowered her head slightly. She thought about how she was her own replacement, and how she had rushed to help Captain Yakov Koval when he had been forced to eject. In his case however, Shinju had been too late; Yakov died on the way down.

"I'll agree with one thing about the reorganization the UN forced on us. You are soldiers. Part of that means accepting that you can die and that you can and will be replaced," Ritsuko stated.

Shinju looked up. "Perhaps... we should visit the wounded?"

Ritsuko nodded. "I could see that, would be a good little photo op." She saw Shinju frown and lower her head again. "And it would be a good way for you to check in on your... comrades. We are all in this together."

"That's right." Misako cleared her throat. "And it's not just you pilots. We didn't know if Azazel could actually slow down the Angel."

Ritsuko snorted. "Last stands are easy when you don't have the time to run away."

"The point still stands."

"Which is?" Kiko asked.

Shinju raised her head. "That we're in this war until the end. There's no running away. There's no quitting. Doctor Akagi is right, we cannot lose this war."

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Leli sat on the edge of a large black desk. Its surface was inlaid in orange-edged hexagons. The white-haired Angel swung her legs back and forth. Looking over her shoulder she examined the map that had hovered above the hexagonal grid. Sitting at a chair before the desk, Iry worked at the map collating files and organizing network connections.

"Saha's not coming back." Leli said after silently watching her sister work. She kicked her legs again causing her flouncy white and black checkered skirt to bounce up exposing a pair of black tights. She had short white hair cut into a somewhat stiff looking pageboy.

Iry paused. She long had strawberry blond hair that was held back with an orange hexagonal shaped hair clip. She wore a prim and starched black dress with little red hexagons edging the sleeves and lower hem. The intonation made the statement sound almost like a question. "Yes, she's dead."

"Maybe not." Leli frowned. Her eyes went to the map and looked at the rats' nest of lines that went to Tokyo 3. Anger bloomed on her face. "All we know is that the humans still live, mother remains imprisoned."

"And thus she has fallen."

Leli smirked. "Fallen has multiple meanings. Death is just one."

"Now you're being pedantic. Do you really think one of us would give up?"

"I'm just being thorough." Leli leaned closer to the desk's surface.

Iry laughed. "Well.. doesn't that sound familiar?"

Leli blushed.

"You know what happened to her," Iry said, clasping her hands and lowering her gaze slightly. After a moment's consideration she moved her arms and put a hand on Leli's knee.

Leli sniffed. "Yes, but... as an alternative would death really be better?"

"What, a prisoner? Is that better?"

"We could always rescue her too." Leli put her hand on Iry's "Is it so farfetched? We know the humans want to capture one of us. Look at Sandi. Look at... Mother."

Iry's eyes flashed. "If Mikki heard you..."

"She'd say I was spending too much time with you," Leli smirked.

"Maybe you are." Iry turned back to the map. "Such a waste."

Leli nodded. "Hardly enough damage to make Saha's loss worth it. I suppose she did destroy more than those that went before her. Did you at least get some good intelligence out of it?"

Iry shrugged. "Maybe, and if I don't I'm sure Mikki can send another one of us to go off and provide the necessary diversion."

"Aren't you next?" Leli quietly asked.

"That's why you're helping me," Iry gave a wan smile.

Leli whimpered.

"It's a simple procedure. The Magi themselves are fairly secure, but their weakness is when they interface with other networks. Put enough high demand strain on the system... say collating trajectories of a global orbital bombardment, and... you can start to worm your way in."

"That doesn't give you much time."

Iry nodded. "Right, which is why you can't root around, pure smash and grab, but I've got enough of an idea on their archival structure." The dark-skinned blonde smirked. "Organizations always put greater emphasis in protecting new secrets. And that's not just Nerv, Seele, JSSDF, Republic, USAF, I've even managed to find some pre-Azazel RVSN reports. They've all got skeletons: the Contact Experiments, Novyi Systema Perimetr, the Katsuragi Expedition, some are even literal, like the piles of dead Abominations Nerv has buried under the Geo-Front."

"Oh?"

"Sure, it was pretty easy to get the blueprints of the Geo-Front and the initial server architecture. Nerv can't do everything."

"And Mikki works for a construction firm."

"She does have her moments."

Leli laughed "I bet Mikki could have just waltzed into the room where they keep the Artificial Evolution Laboratory records."

"It wouldn't have been that easy."

"Really? She's been inside the Geo-Front. She's seen the Adversary and her Shadow and the Abomination." Leli stated.

Iry raised an eyebrow and looked at the curious girl. She shook her head and looked back at her desk. The info on the Contact Experiments threatened to draw her in. The depth of Humanity's sins against Mother were mortifying.

"What?" Leli asked, seeing her sister's distraction.

"It would seem that Mikki's worries about my influence were warranted." Iry stared at the list of Contact Experiments. She was familiar with them all... but the first one, the one Seele did... there was more to that story.

"Oh? But shouldn't your influence grow? You have this special project. You've learned so much about the enemy, so many of their old tricks and monstrous experiments."

"Yes," Iry shuffled some of the lights on her desk. "And there's more to it than that. I've gotten feed from cameras and logged credit card purchases."

Leli tilted her head, her bangs shifting keeping her face framed by pale blonde strands.

"Humans are simple creatures, creatures of habit. There are patterns they follow; and while the Pilots are well protected much of the Enemy's critical personnel are easy to reach."

Leli grinned. "You can't collapse the bridge so you'll cut the ramps leading up to it."

Iry's eyes widened. "Why yes. Careful with metaphors like that, or else she'll think you've been spending time with the humans."

"You're here, she's not."

"Yes... she's... Mikki's not here," Iry quietly said as she scanned the documents.

"Who isn't here?" Armi asked with a yawn. Her hair was curly and bright, almost golden blonde. She wore a little light blue silk jumper with an pair of angel wings embroidered on the back. She kept a small blanket wrapped over her shoulders.

Leli jumped off of the desk and picked up the little blonde girl. Or at least an Angel in the shape of a small blonde girl. "Did you have a good nap?" she asked dropping the blanket back onto the couch.

Armi nodded. She looked between her two sisters. There were only two of her sisters here. She gave a little whimper and buried her head into Leli's shoulder

"Smart little munchkin." Iry noted looking over the young appearing Angel with a critical eye. She was still as youthful as when Mikki had brought her here. At least part of her was developing.

"Heartless," Leli grouched. "It's okay, Honey," she said consoling Armi.

Armi lifted her head and looked to Leli. "Saha?"

"Sorry, kiddo."

Armi cried.

Leli reached in and hugged her. "It'll be... okay. Maybe..."

The littlest Angel blinked and stopped her tears. "I'm scared," she whispered clutching to Leli.

Leli looked to Iry with the same haunted, pleading expression.

Swallowing, Iry glanced at the old archives, specifically Seele's Project Number Nine. "Yeah... me too."

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Toji leaned on the patio's railing. Looking out he could see downtown Tokyo 3. Much of the Angel's corpse had been cleared and several of the retractable skyscrapers had been elevated.

Their polished unblemished sides contrasted greatly with the broken windows on many of the outlying, and non retracting structures, and even more so with the few that had actually been flattened. Smoke rose up from several sources and combined with the occasional siren and the deep rumble of dump trucks and other heavy haulers.

Hikari walked up beside him. She looked over the city then to Toji.

The Pilot's hands flexed off the railing and he glanced over making eye contact with the middle Horaki sister. He turned back to looking out at the city.

Glancing at the weapons on Toji's belt, Hikari studied his eyes. "It could have been worse," she eventually said. "You helped stop that."

"You don't know the half of it." Toji exhaled.

Hikari raised her eyebrows slightly. "I know about the other attacks, it's been all over the news."

"Nah... not that." Toji looked down at the walls and fencing that surrounded the apartment building. He could see Nerv and Azazel cleanup teams continuing their sweep. Doc Akagi had been right, the wind was fortunate this day.

"What do you mean?" Hikari asked following his gaze. She knew that her own apartment had not been cleared yet. This was why Hikari's elder sister Kodama had pulled some strings and got quarters for her and her sisters in the Pilot's barracks. Being head of Procurement Section had some advantages, even if a timely radiation sweep was not among them.

Toji exhaled again. "Do you know what I did in the fight?"

"You piloted a giant robot."

The Fifth Child laughed. "Sure and I gave some 'adequate' covering fire, but even Shinju, even that angry Australian were only little parts of it. Did you see our counter attack? Do you know how many people worked so hard all over the planet to bring that bastard down? And it still killed millions." His sigh deepened. "They're right you know... it's still a victory."

"You're... feeling inadequate?" Hikari blinked. "You drove a forty meter tall war machine armed with a gun taken from a battleship, firing the most powerful non-nuclear explosives known to man."

"Uh... I actually did have nukes." Toji admitted. "They didn't know if there'd be the chance to rearm us, what with the ballistic inbound Angel, so we got a bit of everything."

"Oh." Hikari blushed. "Still you went up against something that destroyed whole cities and won, and you feel inadequate?"

Toji glanced at her but held his tongue. He would have to work on holding back any self pity, especially when it came time to visit the hospital. The young warrant officer was aware enough that wounded veterans would not take kindly to a mouthy teenage boy, no matter how big his giant robot was.

"This isn't because Shinju took the lead was it?"

Snorting, Toji shook his head. "Nah, I've accepted that."

"Accepted what, Oniisan?" Shirane asked as she stepped onto the patio. Behind her inside were the rest of the Horaki sisters, the Ayanami sisters, Kiko, and Toji and Shirane's father.

Turning, Toji frowned slightly. His sister's glasses were a bit scratched and her ponytail was a bit askew, but he had Lev rustle up a medic to check her and their father over and both were okay. "Oh, nothin' much just stuff about Shinju."

Shirane smirked. "Is this about being less macho than a cute little girl?"

Toji nodded.

"Less?" Hikari asked.

"You've seen the videos of her in combat." Toji shrugged. "She'll give it her all, do anything to win."

"Yes, I know Kiko jokes about how Shinju's bitten her."

Toji made a thoughtful noise at Hikari's use of Kiko instead of Asuka. "Well... big Red hasn't been bitten that much anymore, what with the armor."

Hikari blinked. "You're kidding right?"

"This is Shinju we're talking about," Toji flatly said.

"But..." Hikari looked to Shirane.

"He's right," Shirane shrugged. "Ask Nozomi if you need more proof."

"Or ya'know, you could just talk to the Princess yourself," Toji suggested.

"What? Ask her if she bites people?"

Shirane tilted her head. "You've got a bit of a fixation don'cha?"

Hikari looked between the Suzuhara siblings. "I'm starting to see the resemblance."

Toji and Shirane shared a bemused glance. The elder brother gave a light sigh.

"Not going to complain?"

"You're saying I'm like my sister?" Toji shrugged. "Well yeah. Only problem is that'll make her think she can Pilot too."

Shirane's eyes sparkled. "Really?"

Toji narrowed his eyes. "No."

"Mean," Shirane partially mock pouted.

The Fifth Child chuckled.

"So, you going to be okay?" Shirane asked.

Looking back at the city, Toji tapped the railing. "Yeah... guess so. Thanks," he added a bit distantly.

Brightening, Shirane nodded. "Great!"

Hikari blinked. "Uh... what?"

"He's got a lot on his mind, but he appreciated what I've said."

Toji raised an eyebrow.

Hikari. "Really now?"

"You just gotta learn the language."

"Does having a brother give you insight on how to decode 'Boy'?"

"Oh no. Ayanami."

Hikari snickered.

"Okay... that's not a funny comparison." Toji looked into the apartment, and Shinju raised her head to meet his gaze. He nodded and she gave a big smile. "Really, not funny at all."

"What? You know how hard it is to get her to open up, and she's a regular chatterbox compared to Rei." Smirking Shirane, left her brother and her best friend's sister on the patio.

She entered the living room.

"Rookie done moping?" Kiko asked as she idly smoothed her red skirt. Sitting with her shoulders squared and her legs crossed the skirt did give the illusion of modesty, despite its transparency.

"Yeah, just feeling a bit insignificant."

Shinju stopped petting Flins. "Yes when one kills Gods such a reaction is expected."

The gynoid blinked her eyelashes making a slight whipping noise as they meshed and separated. "Right... I dunno about you but I got a real rush when that bastard died."

Smiling, Shinju nodded approvingly. She resumed petting Flins and the puppy rolled over and let his tongue roll out.

Shirane studied Kiko. The gynoid had stopped talking and just stared off with a contemplative, vaguely pensive look. The only motion came from the rise and fall of her contoured chest armor as she breathed, but even that was steady, regular, almost mechanical. With every stilled second she looked more and like some idled machine.

Kiko snapped her head and back and squaring her shoulders eyeing Shirane in return. "Yes, is there something wrong?"

"Just um... looking," Shirane nervously blushed.

Kiko tilted her head.

"I could ask the same about you."

"University of Berlin class of 2013." Kiko's orange eyes with their multiple pupils locked onto the younger girl. "That wasn't just my capital, that was my home. And now..."

"Oh, how... are... you?" Shirane could swear that the gynoid's earblades drooped down.

"It could be worse. Europe did have some defenses. There's enough to rebuild, though the continent did get some of the heaviest bombardment. And forget the politicians, do you know how many universities, research institutions, and museums we lost?"

"Yes, the refugee crisis is especially acute in the Channel area, with London, Brussels, and Paris so close. Of course Copenhagen and Berlin make their own pair. Then there's the organizational problems, though in the short term military distribution systems are working. Most competent C&C systems are built to withstand decapitation strikes."

"You're Princess' little war-okatu friend aren't you?" Kiko sighed and gave a little smile

"At least you weren't drooling." Nozomi snickered then drank from her glass of water emptying it. "And she's her sisters are Hikari and Nerv's logistics head. I swear those girls do actuary tables for fun."

"It's just the crossword!"

Kiko sighed. "Man, I hope they finish clearing my room pretty soon. How hard is it to replace a window?"

"You are valuable! They want to make sure you're safe," Shinju stated with too much cheer.

"A window broke in your apartment? I thought Nerv armored this place up?"

"We did have a big battle, and it was just a crack," Kiko explained.

Shirane shook her head. "A deep enough crack will compromise the whole window."

The gynoid's sculpted and stenciled eyebrows raised a few clicks in surprise. "Are you sure... still better than Rookie's creepy friend."

"Kensuke's not that bad!" Shirane blurted.

"Huh..." Kiko then stared blankly for a couple seconds. "Hey Rei, is this something where I can snort derisively at humans? Or is this something I really can't blame a whole species on?"

Rei blinked. "Why ask me?"

"Yeah, you're not the least human." Kiko nodded. "Hey Princess!"

Shinju looked up from staring into Flins' eyes. The battle had pushed off any decision on whether or not she could tell Kiko and Toji about her... past, and part of her was wondering if that would be for the best.

"What? Oh, the human thing." Shinju blushed in embarrassment. "Well, I guess you could be more tsuntsun. You've got the aloof part, you just need to be more irritable."

"And where does the 'Kill all humans' come from?" Shirane asked with a nervous smile.

"That's not actually funny." Kiko flexed her hands and looked down at her legs. She then waved at a window. "I was just out there yesterday getting shot at by angry Australians."

Shirane bowed her head. "It was only a joke, We know you're not a-" The black-haired girl stopped and held her tongue.

"What? I'm not a bad robot?" Kiko shook her head.

"Not enough spikes." Nozomi then got up. "Anyone else want something to drink?" she asked holding her glass.

"I guess this is what Princess feels." Kiko appeared to look into the distance.

"You're teasing is adequate enough," Shinju assured as she rolled Flins over to expose the dog's soft belly.

"I could go with some water. About half a liter will do."

"I'll... get you a glass."

The gynoid glared. "Oh come on! That wasn't even a significant digit. Do you want to know what the at a gauge on my Heads-Up Display said? Four hundred seventy three point two milliliters. There happy now?"

"Uh... sorry?" Nozomi said as she backed towards the kitchen. She turned around and saw her elder sister, Rei and Shinju's elder sister and Toji's father at the table.

"How's it going?" Captain Kodama Horaki head of Nerv Section Four, Procurement asked.

"Uh, alright. Just getting some juice and some water for Kiko-chan."

Misako blinked. "Right, is she getting all existential?" she asked, looking up from her single can of beer.

Jun Suzuhara gave his own beer a long look. He was an older man who had a strong resemblance to Toji, though his eyes were a lighter shade of brown closer to Shirane's. A fairly conservative suit hung from a lanky frame much like his son's but with less musculature. "The robot?"

Misako tilted her head. "Yes, Langley has some issues, mostly about being 'the robot'."

"Her parents are also a major contributor," Kodama calmly interjected.

"Oh?" Jun asked. "I know her father's some crazy company scientist, ain't he the one that built her?"

Misako nodded.

"And her mother?"

"She was also a Nerv scientist. Emphasis on 'was'," Kodama said.

A widower himself, Jun gave a slow nod.

"It's worse than you think." Misako then took a sip.

Jun looked out the window. "Things tend to be these days."

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Unbuckling her gun belt and unhooking her phone Kiko looked around her room, her regeneration tube dominating. The open door was inviting, the soft back and sides tempting. Giving a sigh, she stepped to her dresser. Ammunition magazines were piled on one side, a plastic tool box containing replacement parts and a cleaning kit was on the other.

She held the holster and gun belt and looked down at the translucent skirt that puffed up around her waist. She could remove it. It was not like she needed clothes, especially in the privacy of her own home. Despite her indecision, her hands had begun loosening her skirt. Frowning, she shook her head and reset her skirt and ran her hands back down the sides of the short dress.

Her attention returned to the dresser. In the middle was a box wrapped in bright red paper and trimmed in golden bows. Based on the colors and the precision of the folds on the paper and curls on the bow spiraled so precisely that Kiko could guess the sender without looking at the tag.

She put a hand on the box, feeling that it was something solid and strong. She swallowed and turned on her heel. Her stomach felt empty; and it was only when her hand was on the door that Kiko realized she had walked to her regeneration tube.

Shuffling back, she arced around the room, keeping the regeneration tube in view until she reached the bathroom. Then in a quick, deliberate sequence she threw open the door, grabbed a glass, filled it with water, leapt back out, and solidly shut the door behind her.

Taking a sip, she stood in front of her window. The thick armored pane seemed brighter than before. She eyed the edges and found that the seams had been scuffed and all the paint had been scratched away. Looking to the floor, she spotted bits of glass and molding that had not been vacuumed up.

Part of her took pleasure in the shoddy attempt at a cover up. She knew that her window had been cracked, and that her room had been given an extra sweep to make sure it was clear of contamination.

Her left hand went up and armor pressed against reinforced polymer. She exhaled and took another sip. The room was safe, or at least as safe as a company of Russian Naval infantry could make something.

She pulled her hand from the window. Giving her regeneration tube a backwards glance, she went back to her dresser. She stopped and looked at her holstered sidearm. The belt and magazine carrier were also on the dresser. A carbine also leaned against it. However, her attention focused on the sidearm.

In the back of her mind was a fluttering, whispering sensation and she was struck by images of her mother, of a gently swaying stuffed doll, of her greater self, of ranks of glassy-eyed porcelain dolls in crisp, frilly almost uniform dresses, of slaying angels, of standing in the shadow of explosions brighter and hotter than the sun.

Her body quivered for a moment before stopping and snapping to her normally statue-like perfect poise. She looked between the sidearm and the present. Reaching out, she changed her mind at the last moment and took the latter and returned to her living room. Unlike her bedroom, it was full of furniture. The deep green leather couch was thick cushioned and had a curving back.

The chairs had a similar overstuffed appearance. Circular and oval tables of dark polished wood dotted the room with several supporting squat green-glass lamps with fluted shades. The walls were a plain soft, off white. On the wall opposite the couch was an enlarged wood-framed photograph.

It was a picture of very young ballet dancers in a lush city park, Tiergarten to be specific. The oldest could not be more than six. However, the focus was on an even younger redhead in the center of the line who managed to hold her stance as well as the others. The background was dominated by the golden winged statue of Victory atop a seventy meter tall column which outshone the surrounding and further distant Berlin buildings.

In the foreground there was a line of spectators sitting in folding seats. Kiko's attention went to the dark auburn-haired woman just to the left of the redheaded junior ballerina. A confident woman in a dark blue suit coat and skirt, she seemed intensely focused on the girl before her.

Kiko pulled her eyes from the photograph and looked around the room. She exhaled. After gingerly placing the present on the coffee table, the gynoid flopped onto the couch. It creaked under her weight but no more than it would for any other person. She straightened the cable that dangled from the back of her resin bouffant, and then sat up and plopped her legs on the table with a clunk. Her skirt flared out somewhat messily with the front edge of the hem rising quite a bit while the back of the dress compressed as she sat.

The armor was sleek, showing off her legs quite well. For most of the length it almost looked like she was wearing a particularly thick and stiff bodysuit... that happened to have racing stripes and numbers on the tights... and had extra armoring with visible seams around the knees and ankles... and built in high heels.

She gave a little smile. There was one slight, very slight upside. Being unable to remove her "shoes" caused culture shock wherever she went. Her teachers decided to politely ignore Kiko's lack of appropriate uwabaki slippers for school.

Though Hikari had told her that some of the other class representatives had floated the idea of getting Kiko some tight galoshes. That way the "poor robot" could have something she could change into during the day that would both keep the floors neat and help her fit in.

The latter at least was a valid concern. She could shatter concrete and tile easily, especially with how her heels focused the pressure. Though Kiko secretly suspected that the heels were Ritsuko's idea and were a way to ensure an upper bound to her weight.

"Father was planning to stuff me full of all sorts of extra weapons and gizmos," Kiko muttered. "Oh well, maybe I should have told Hikari to go forward with those slippers. It would be nice to have something... else."

Glancing at the photograph of her and her mother, she then softly chuckled. It was actually a nice gesture, nicer than how the subject of school slippers had been broached to her when she had first arrived in Tokyo 3. The gynoid's laugh turned to a sigh.

That advertising executive organizing Nerv's propaganda, Miss Mann, was right. In some ways she was more approachable as a robot, as opposed to being a foreigner. Instead of being one of the Children, she was simply a component, something built to defend humanity, not some uncontrollable youth...

"Careful, now." Kiko shook her head. Grabbing the remote from the dark grained wood table she eyed it for a second. "I guess I should be relieved that laughing loon didn't cram one of these into me."

She glanced at the TV half-expecting it to turn on in response to her thoughts. A tinge of disappointment flittered in the back of her mind. "Stupid robot body. I don't even get cool tricks or nice shoes."

Taking the remote, she turned on the television. What she saw did not improve her mood. It was not unexpected, but it did reduce the sense of alienation. It was on the same channel she had left it on: Deutsche Welle Germany's international broadcaster.

It was much the same as the last time she had watched. Half of the screen was taken up by an unsurprisingly polished reporter (after all, the surviving studios were in DW's Bonn offices) interviewing a harried but reserved governmental minister.

Kiko let the words gloss over her as she focused on the other half of the screen. It was a helicopter view of Berlin. Or at least what was left of it. The boroughs of Mitte and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg had borne the brunt of the damage. Buildings had been gutted and blown apart. The river Spree was choked with debris that had been blasted in.

Going outward the damage was minimized, but that simply meant there were still some standing buildings. In some ways the damage seemed worse, as the sections further out actually resembled a city and not a rubble strewn wasteland.

Overall, there seemed to be fewer fires. Kiko knew that fire departments from the rest of Germany had sent everything they could spare. _"Which was how it always went. Berlin always got it in the end,"_ Kiko thought to herself. At least this time the rest of the Fatherland was in a better position to lend support.

She exhaled and closed her eyes. She knew it was worse elsewhere. Mexico City was a circular hole that looked like someone had torched a matchstick model, Riyad was a crater with highways running towards it, and there was a new bay on the Río de la Plata where Buenos Aires used to be. There was more. The burned hulks, twisted cars, plumes of greasy smoke, collapsed buildings, piles of hastily bagged bodies, and swarming, haggard rescue crews had all blended together. In any other time, this would have been an unparalleled global disaster, but after the Second Impact, it was more of an encore.

She looked out the thick door that led to her patio. Tokyo 3 was much the same way. Half of the city was still under elevated radiation risk as cleaners from Nerv and Gombe Heavy Construction swept the town block by block. Despite the stockpiles, and doubtless Nerv's pilfering, there was also a glass shortage and a run on concrete in the Old Town given the blast damage from the battle.

Kiko looked down from the television. She edged herself up and looked at the present. Made out of a folded piece of wrapping paper, the tag drew her attention. Suddenly she wanted to confirm her suspicions.

She picked up the box and unfolded the tag. She read the tag; she slowly returned the box to the table. The.. nickname Lieutenant Diebner had used to address her was not one she normally used. The quotation, and oddly personal closing above Katrina's signature gave the gift a far more personal feel.

Kiko recalled the second year theater class. It had been a good course taught by a tall bird-like old man who only seemed alive when reading Wagner. It was a good break for her, between the engineering classes and the training; it was that class that encouraged her to spend the extra time to peruse a Literature minor.

She remembered Professor Harteck's constant rants about how his work was theater, that opera was something to be performed, not something to be merely read.. The man seemed insulted to be part of the University of Berlin's Literature department. Of course now, neither existed.

The television's noise drew her attention back. Perhaps Götterdämmerung, the last opera in _The Ring of the Nibelung _was appropriate. Perhaps Brünnhilde did fit her. The Valkyrie was often portrayed as a redhead. And she was the offspring of Odin (a god of war, wisdom, and knowledge) and Erda, a jötunn, a giant, and a goddess who personified the earth.

Kiko stared off, not sure whether to be flattered, insulted, or disturbed by the implications of what Katrina's note implied.

The late Professor Harteck would have understood. He had pointed out the parallels between the Second Impact and the war of the gods. However, he had studiously avoided making any comparisons involving his youngest and most famous student.

She looked at the box. She wondered if Katrina knew how the opera ended. If she knew what Brünnhilde did to cleanse the Ring, and how Brünnhilde's pyre reached up to consume Valhalla, taking the gods in the same great fire.

Part of Kiko found appeal in the closure of such a scenario. The Angel war would be won by her hand and... Kiko's choker flashed yellow and for a moment red spots began to form. After a second, Kiko blinked. Confused, she looked at her empty hand with her extended pointer finger and clenched middle, ring, and pinky.

Again, she eyed Katrina's gift and wondered if she made the right choice. She could go back to her bedroom, go back to her- There was another pause, and she shook her head. There was no need to go to her regeneration tube. Not yet, perhaps later after another glass of water.

Her introspection was cut down when one of her earblades chirped, and a flashing telephone icon appeared on her heads-up-display. She blinked and activated the connection.

"Pilot, why weren't you answering your phone?" Captain Sakharov asked over the radio uplink. He was commander of the Azazel's First Guards Naval Infantry Company, and personally oversaw the Captain Ayanami's protective platoon. There was a hint of anger in his voice but it was mostly gentle if confused concern.

"I was enjoying the illusion of privacy," Kiko sighed.

"Yes, you are safe." It was not a question.

"How can I help you Captain?" Kiko asked. She knew it was not an emergency. Those had even less small talk and far more rushing Russians and shouted orders.

"A comrade of yours is about to visit, thought you should know."

"Why? Who?"

"Warrant Suzuhara. Perhaps he, too, became concerned that you had unplugged your phone." Sakharov's tone was somewhat amused.

Kiko nodded. "Right... sure." She felt a bit of tension ease up, like her spine after a fresh pharmacological-plug had been inserted. "Sure... send the Rookie in."

She then leaned back and resumed watching the television. The connection dropped and she closed the radio program on her brain prosthesis. Then she waited and drifted and let her body loosen in the soft cushions.

A knock on the door, from the far side of the kitchen, jolted her mind back into focus. "Enter," she shouted and looked idly for her sidearm. She shrugged and eyed the door. It opened and Toji stepped through, two Azazel guards standing behind him.

After removing his shoes, Toji nodded to the Azazel Naval Infantryman and entered the apartment's kitchen. It had a round table made out of the same soft dark grained wood and had ceiling mounted lights in green glass fixtures. The kitchen had the pristine cleanliness that only came with a lack of use.

However, there was a plate containing a couple slices of rich black forest cake under a glass cover on the countertop and a teapot and kettle on the stove. Padding forward, the Fifth Child crossed the kitchen and stopped at the edge between the tile floor and the carpet of the living room.

He looked at her and blinked. Instead of the normal prim, square-shouldered, almost... mechanical posture, the gynoid was... slouching. Spread apart, her feet were propped up on the coffee table and she seemed to be leaning to her right side. Toji did not know much about feminine modesty but he did know such a position was not wise when wearing a skirt, even if was a clear one. However the gynoid did not seem to notice, her orange eyes were fixated on the television and the devastating panoramas within.

"Yeah, whatcha want Rookie?" Kiko distantly drawled.

"I was worried. The second Katrina said your room was cleared, you stormed right out of the party."

"Did I?" Kiko asked finally turning to face him.

Toji was dressed in a khaki Nerv tactical uniform. The understated orange epaulettes, stiff collar, and large pistol he wore on a dark leather holster did make him look a bit older. However that he was walking in his socks did ruin the image. Kiko raised her eyebrow and smirked.

"Yes, you did. And then you weren't answering your phone and..." Toji glanced at the guards. "Thanks Sergeant, that will be all.

Sergeant Babayev glanced between the two pilots, the slumped gynoid and the barefoot young man. "Yes, Warrant." He then nodded to Kiko. "Warrant Officer."

Toji waited for the guards to leave and close the door behind them.

Straightening her pose, Kiko chuckled. "So you demand privacy in order to bug me despite my own clear intention to not be bugged?"

Toji rubbed his chin and leaned back. "Pretty much."

"Well." Kiko looked to the framed-photo. "Thank you for your concern," she stiffly stated.

Toji eyed the television. "Fine."

The gynoid grumbled and caught an overflight of a burned out park. A toppled Victory Column raced past the camera view. Sighing, Kiko picked up the remote and hit the mute. "How come you're the only one here bugging me?"

"I thought all of us would be too much, and they didn't seem to notice... I did." Toji shook his head and frowned at the red-wrapped present on the coffee table.

"Lovely."

"You gotta remember what... who they are. The Ayanami haven't had what you would call.. well... Hell, the most normal one was raised by king bastard himself. I mean Shinju's real nice, but she's also real scary."

"You shouldn't talk about the Commander that way," Kiko automatically said. "You never know if he's listening in," she added after a confused blink.

"My point stands."

"You think my upbringing was so much better?" Kiko demanded as she crossed her arms and glared at Toji.

"You're not the only kid to lose his mother," the Fifth Child had kept his voice even but there was an undercurrent of frustrated anger behind his words.

Kiko looked aside. "Shut up, Rookie."

Toji exhaled and calmed himself. "We were still on the waiting list for a new car, an electric yah-know? Father still blames himself, but he was putting in enough long hours and he couldn't afford the down payment to get on the list earlier. Course... without that old Toyota... well every kitchen has knives, and Mother was creative... why Nerv hired her." Toji slowly explained his tone becoming hollow. "I'm just happy that on that day, I was the one who had to take out the trash first, not Shirane." He chuckled, but his eyes remained hard. "Pops still won't live in a place with a garage."

Kiko had raised her head and listened to the Pilot's story.

Toji buried his head in his hands. "Don't wanna talk about that no more."

Holding her glass, Kiko stood up. "Uh... you want some water?"

Hands cradling his face, Toji nodded. " Least, I kept Shirane from..."

After taking a second glass and filling it, Kiko stood over Toji and held out her arm. "Yes, no one should."

"I was six." Toji accepted the glass and took a sip.

Kiko returned to the couch. This time she kept her back straight and her shoulders square. "Well... we're really a screwed up lot aren't we?"

"What about Rei and Shinju?"

"It's a sad day when Nerv's lab rats have better lives than us." Kiko rubbed at her eyes. She pulled her hand and looked at her fingers for a moment. "And I don't believe that for a second. Wondergirl's hideously repressed, she takes after Captain Ice Queen like that, and everyone seems okay with Nerv's Little Perfect Princess turning into a spoiled, sadistic sociopath."

"Shinju's not that bad."

"No of course not. Let's forget the pig. It's just that the precious Ace of Spades can do whatever she wants, but after a little... accident I get treated like a psychotic robot. Let's forget that you were just talking about how she scared you. No she's perfect and I'm some... salvaged wreck. She's the perfect pilot and I'm scraps!"

Toji bristled. "You're complaining? You've got the best synchronization rate. Period. When it comes to Piloting, you've got more finesse, where she's..."

"Insane, blunt power." Kiko supplied. "You've seen her, what she's really like."

"Yeah..." Toji pulled the wooden chair closer to Kiko's couch and sat back down. "It's creepy..."

"Yes, a gothic lolita Spetsnaz would be creepy," Kiko said, deadpan.

"She didn't start out that way. When she moved here she was just shy. It took time for her to become an adorable knife nut. I blame my sister." Toji offhandedly added before sipping his water.

"Right." Kiko took the remote and turned the TV off. "So why shouldn't I complain? She's over a year younger than me, and is beating me despite having less training and experience!" The gynoid's voice rose. "And as you just pointed out she didn't even start out wearing dresses full of bows, bullets, and blades."

Kiko lowered her head and looked over her nose at Toji.

Feeling a slight pressure on his temples and chill at his joints, the Fifth Child looked at Kiko's choker. It was still green. He calmly took another drink. "Is that what you're worried about? Nerv doing stuff to us? The Commander twisting us into something we're not?"

Kiko put an arm to her cheek, looked down at herself, and gasped. "No that would be silly. The Commander would never do something unethical."

Toji snickered. "Fair enough, but it's not fair to compare yourself, she's a clone specifically engineered to Pilot. Where you could pilot as a normal human. Hell you proved it was even possible." He shook his head. "And you think you've got it bad? How do you think this makes me feel?"

"It's not that bad being the rookie and the human," Kiko sighed. "Last I checked you didn't need to sleep in a tube or take fancy drugs every damn day."

"Yeah, yeah, being a rookie isn't that bad. Before me, you managed it just fine."

Her choker turning yellow Kiko glared until the air around her began to shimmer.

"Anyway... " Toji rubbed his head. "I'm dealing with being less manly than a little preteen girl. It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't dress up like some kind of princess... and silently appear behind you holding a knife."

Leaning forward Kiko's lips curled into a greasy smirk. "You're scared of her."

Toji snorted, but did not challenge the statement.

"And the clothes were your sister's idea? And isn't the real reason that you're a Pilot is to keep Ikari from dragooning your sister?" Kiko asked, smirking.

Exhaling, Toji nodded.

Kiko's smirk warmed to something like a smile. "Yeah Rookie, you've earned the right to have a bit of angsty self doubt. Hell, if you weren't scared I'd think there was something wrong with you."

Knowing who Kiko was referring too, Toji gave a nervous laugh.

"But you didn't get turned into a little femme-bot with built-in high heels and beehive hairdo now did yah?"

"I thought we were talking about how Shinju makes us feel small and inferior?"

"Well, that was a nice distraction from bemoaning my father's insanity, the cruelty of the fates, and my..." Kiko looked to the photograph on the opposite wall.

Toji shrugged. "What can I say? "

Kiko leaned forward, splotches of purple appearing on her choker. "Well, you are here. So what can you say? You had a reason to come here, to try to comfort me. Clearly you're not afraid of me."

"Well..." Toji coughed and in desperation looked around the room. "well, no you're less scary than them, you're more... human. Anyway, what's with the present?"

"It's a gift from Katrina." Kiko waved her hand in dismissal. "You think I'm more human, really?"

"Sure, look at all you've gone through, the horror your life has become; you've survived. That's pretty comforting."

"I'm glad my existence reassures you." Kiko clenched her teeth.

"Seeing that you can handle well... all this, makes me a bit less scared." Toji looked down. "Sorry, if that's corny."

"Only a little." Kiko found herself smiling.

"So.. Katrina got you something? Why?"

"Maybe she thought I needed some cheering up, but decided that I deserved an ounce of privacy?"

Toji leaned over the coffee table and inspected the shiny red wrapping paper. "You gonna open it then?"

Kiko tapped the box. "Trying to distract me?"

"Nah, just curious."

The gynoid eyed him, but found nothing other than honest, if simple enthusiasm.

"Come on open the box," Toji said, something akin to giddiness edging his voice.

"Fine, have your fun." Kiko grabbed either side of the box and tore the crimson paper and ribbons away. She was rewarded with a shiny-white and blank cardboard box. The gynoid ripped the tape off the lid and flipped it open. Viewing the contents she paused; her lips curling into another smile.

"The hell?" Toji peered inside and frowned at the tubes and plastic cases. There were no labels and they had a vaguely industrial look about them. "Makeup?"

"Yes." Kiko pulled out one of the tubes and uncapped it, revealing some matte red lipstick that looked strangely dense and heavy. "Katrina's got family in the television business."

"Makeup artist?" But why?" Toji asked looking at Kiko's glossy lips. "You don't need it you've-"

Kiko raised a sculpted and embossed eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Nothing. You look great. Least I don't have the Ayanami's complexion," Toji grumbled. Being nearly albino, the clones were in a real danger of being washed out in any televised appearance.

"I think you look very good in makeup," Kiko laughed as she rummaged through the box.

Toji picked up one of the blocky compacts. "What is this?"

Kiko pinched one of her cheeks. "I've got special... skin." She pulled a small mirror out of the box.

"Oh, didn't notice," Toji said, gamely trying to lie.

"Please, I know I look like a mannequin." Kiko rolled her eyes "Normal makeup doesn't blend or even really stick and you can forget about coverage." Kiko took out a tube of foundation and rubbed some between her fingers and dabbed it on her cheeks. "Now this, this might work," she said looking into a small hand mirror.

Toji sniffed. "Looks like spackling paste."

Kiko hit Toji across the tip of his nose with the mirror he held. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded turning to him.

"Gah!" Toji pulled back and rubbed his nose. "What? It's not like I called you a robot."

"Ah-ha! So you were thinking it!" Kiko waved the hand mirror triumphantly.

"Least you're pulling your punches." Toji pressed his glass to his nose; he knew she could have done some real damage if she wanted too. Their training rooms, and the Geo Front's swimming pool, had the freshly poured concrete to prove it.

"Didn't want to break it."

Toji held his thanks when he realized that Kiko was still waving the mirror. "Why do you gotta be so mean?"

Kiko pulled back her shiny lips, revealing gleaming too-perfect teeth. "Because I'm part of the sinister robot conspiracy plotting to overthrow you meat-bags. First the Angels, then you lot."

"Bullshit!" Toji cried. "You were just as much big of an obnoxious jerk as a human."

The gynoid's mad gleam dissipated replaced by soft chuckling. "Not bad Rookie." She put the makeup tube and mirror back in the box and stood up. "Say... you want some cake? I've got a couple slices of Princess' black forest left."

Toji made a show of looking around the room. "I guess this counts as a party. You did get a present."

"Yes, and another kill." Kiko stepped to the kitchen and started pulling down plates. "I suppose it's for the best that this was just my fourth. I'd hate to have made ace "

"Fourth?"

"Angel kills." Kiko took out the cake tray and placed flatware on the plates. "First the one that kept splitting, then the baby Angel we blew up a volcano to get to, then the spider that... got me, and finally today."

The gynoid handed a plate to Toji. "Which was your first kill. Nice job, you were perfectly adequate today."

Toji accepted the plate and wondered if the battle against Matarael really should be put in Kiko's "kill" column. Especially since that Angel had melted Asuka into a screaming mess. Toji also was reluctant to count today; it was not like he had struck the mortal blow.

After retaking her seat on the couch, Kiko looked down at the golden halos inscribed below her left shoulder. "Guess I'll need another one," she said with a grin before forking her slice of cake.

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Looking out the hospital window, Kaji stirred his coffee can. He was in one of the hospital's break rooms, and had the antiseptic bright florescent light and plastic table and chaired room to himself.

The destruction in the surrounding city was... minor. Just another day in Tokyo 3. If anything it served to underscore the devastation that had happened elsewhere. If not for the Second Impact, the "Little Impact" would be the greatest loss of human life in a single day. Somehow the smaller scale made it worse. Unlike before, there was a measure of normalcy. Twenty cities targeted, over a dozen destroyed. This was something people could comprehend, not the disintegration of a continent or global tsunamis or over a billion dead in a single day.

Parked in front of the hospital were several Azazel armored transports. Russian troops also patrolled the grounds. He allowed a little smile. There had been few casualties in the battle, but Nerv had still found a use for them.

The glass fronted door to the break-room opened.

"So early, Captain?" Kaji asked, angling his head so that he could see the door in the reflection off the window.

A slim woman with grey hair and a starched white nurse's uniform entered blinked. "Captain? No I don't think so."

Kaji stepped back from the window and glanced at the plate of biscuits the woman had placed on one of the break room's tables.

"I'm sorry Miss, I'm waiting..." Kaji blinked at her silver eyes, the same shade as her hair. "Ah."

Grinning the nurse reached into a pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses. She gave a coy smile and picked up a biscuit. She glanced outside the window. "It looks like my boss will have plenty of work."

"Gombe Heavy Construction is doing quite well."

"Especially our international subsidiaries." Mikki exhaled, transferring the biscuit from one hand to the other.

"Why the dressup?" Kaji asked studying her hair. Unlike her normal auburn and neatly parted and combed style, her hair had been dyed silver-grey and gelled at the tips so it spiked out a bit. The operative found the expressiveness disquieting.

"Costume party?" Mikki smiled about to take a bite.

"No." Kaji raised an eyebrow and memorized the ID badge pinned to her blouse. The picture matched her new hair color.

"Shame. Well you got me." She smirked. "I smuggled myself into the hospital to get a glance at the Pilots. See them giving the wounded a moral boost."

"Section Two would find that very fascinating." He glanced out the window. "Maybe the Russians?"

"Well, you're the Special Inspector."

Kaji glanced to the door and let his shoulders lower taking on a more at ease stance. "You're here because of me."

"I am in the room with you."  
Mikki lowered the biscuit and frowned at the man.

"Why? What's your plan? You wanted to bring me a snack?"

Mikki patted her pocket. "That's not the only thing I've brought for you."

"So you came here with a plan?"

She finally put the biscuit into her mouth. "Hmmm? You know... You know what I've noticed? Nobody panics when things go 'according to plan.' "

"Oh?" Kaji asked.

"Even if the plan is horrifying!" Eyes sparkling, Mikki smirked; she picked up another biscuit. "If, tomorrow, you're told that an Angel will march on Tokyo or part of the Kanagawa Prefecture will be blown up by Russian soldiers, nobody panics, because it's all 'part of the plan'." She giggled.

"Do tell," Kaji made sure his sidearm was within easy reach and then shifted his coffee can to his left hand.

"But not even a dozen little old capitals get hit... well then everyone loses their minds!" Her giggle returned.

"You're saying people expect giant monsters to attack Tokyo?"

Mikki nodded. "Did the old men in their halls of power think they were immune? Did they think that they could escape notice?"

"That implies the Angels understand political aspects to war." Kaji took a slow sip. "That's terrifying."

Mikki stared. "Not going to try to rationalize a purely tactical and strategic worldview on their part?"

"I could for the cities on the Security Council, but they made it through... fairly well. Instead all of the G20 had their capital cities attacked, plus Tokyo 3, and no there's not much strategic or tactical reason to glass Buenos Aires."

The young woman giggled. "Oh I could think of one."

"Do tell," Kaji repeated.

Mikki cocked an eyebrow up. Her quizzical expression was then consumed by a toothy grin. "It's really simple, all those old men, all those politicians are running scared." She lifted her hands and mimed running by wriggling her fingers.

"They know the Angels are targeting them, but it didn't work. Washington, Tokyo 2, Moscow, London, they all beat the Angels. They survived."

"Really?" Mikki tilted her head. "They intercepted a ballistic attack, that's hardly beating an Angel. And to be scared you have to survive." Smiling she took another biscuit, nearly depleting the whole pack. "Just imagine it."

"You're saying the attack was deliberately weak."

Sadness flickered across Mikki's face.

"But not so weak that everyone could beat it..." Kaji's grip on his can tightened. "It's not just a political aspect, it's a full physiological-operation. Delude humanity into thinking that budget solutions can save them from an Angel attack. Waste resources and money spreading ourselves thin."

"People love building things: bunkers, fortresses, castles." Mikki picked up the last biscuit. "That's why my boss is doing so well. Humanity's sunk an endless stream of money in a vain hope of survival."

"You see defense as a futile measure?"

Mikki seemed taken aback by the man's question. "One cannot win without hurting the enemy. The battle must be taken to them."

"Humanity's great weakness in this war is our inability to find out where the Angels are coming from. Every battle is a purely defensive one."

"Not every one." Mikki stated, her voice chilled.

Kaji frowned. He forced himself to glance back out the window. Staring at her for too long would be too suspicious, too aggressive. "Ah yes, Operation Chariot. Nerv is being very tight lipped about exactly how they found a... baby Angel in Mount Asama and why they can't repeat the process."

"Why?" Mikki asked.

"Perhaps they can't."

Mikki blinked.

"If the Angels are getting smarter then they'd have to realize how much of an advantage they have."

"They are very powerful."

"Not power, information. We know almost nothing about them. Where they come from, what their numbers are, what their strategic goals are."

The corners of Mikki's lips curled up. "Yes, they are a mystery."

"Well now that you've given me my snack..." Kaji waved to the nearly empty packet of biscuits.

"Rude." Mikki's face clouded.

"I'm direct," Kaji smirked.

"I submit to your roguish charm," Mikki mock swooned as she reached into her pocket and tossed a plastic object towards the spy.

Catching the memory stick, Kaji suppressed his frustration. No matter how much information it actually contained, the device would have to be run through a quarantined computer. And the more useful information it had, the more would have to be printed out in order to be scanned into a networked machine.

"What's it this time?" Kaji pocketed the device, reminding himself to not have any sensitive conversations until he had it swept and secured.

"Construction reports. You were right to follow the supply orders." Mikki frowned in thought. It was too much like something Iry would have suggested. "Mr. Gombe can hide money but he can't hide rebar and concrete and trucks."

"So, he is building a bolt hole?"

Mikki looked out the window. At least her sister's body had been cleared away, and the blood had been washed off. "I suppose," she absently stated. "Whatever it is, it's big and being dug in fast."

Kaji resisted asking how big and how fast. The documentation should show that.

"You didn't take too much of a risk getting that?" he asked.

"Please." Mikki rolled her eyes. "Powerful men are so trusting of those they think they dominate. He's the one that ordered me to retrieve the files. It didn't take long to see the discrepancy in the... logistics."

Kaji looked to her eyes. There was a distance there - a powerful loathing, not just of her boss but the whole indignity of her employment. He understood how she could chafe at her position; he was counting on it. Ego was a prime motivation for spies. "Well, thank you, I'll be sure to look into it."

"Good, he's up to something," Mikki looked down and shifted her shoes. "I think he could really affect the war effort."

Pretending to understand, Kaji nodded. He knew Gombe was involved with some... questionable organizations, and all those underground facilities had to be built by someone. "Isn't that what we're all trying to do?"

The faux-nurse blinked. She chuckled lightly. "Right." Mikki spun on her heel and walked out of the break room.

After the door closed, Kaji turned to the window and using his cell phone left a coded voicemail message for himself, documenting the contact and the received package. He glanced at the time and threw out his coffee can.

The door opened and a pink-haired woman strode in. In spite of her diminutive height, her stance was pure self contained power. Deep red eyes sparkled with mirth. "Why Inspector Kaji, it seems the legends about you are true."

"Pardon?" Kaji asked stepping back from her critical gaze. Her presence had a subtle pressure that reminded him of Mikki.

"I see a sweet little nurse leaving here and you..." Misako frowned. "Inspector. You are either very good at getting dressed in a short time or you missed quite the opportunity."

"Far from it."

"Ah." Misako nodded. "Business then?"

"As you say."

"I don't like it," Misako's eyes glanced out the window, but they immediately returned to meet Kaji's gaze.

"You can't take such offense to my presence."

Misako stared with a blank expression that still managed to radiate disapproval and disgust.

Eventually, Kaji coughed. "Er... so what don't you like then?"

"That we need you."

"Why Captain Ayanami, you wound-"

Misako cut him off. "We're up against giant aliens. We shouldn't need skulking backstabbing spies."

"But events have proven that they've been getting intelligence on us too, and not things that you can get out of any encyclopedia or newspaper."

"I am well aware of the counter intelligence justification for your employment." Misako narrowed her eyes. "What I'm not so aware of is your progress."

Kaji bowed his head slightly. "While this is not a secure location..."

"Out with it."

"Just a sec..." Kaji reached into his pocket. "You have your guards with you?"

"Of course," Misako nodded.

"Right," Kaji took the thumb drive and opened the glass fronted door. A pair of Azazel Naval Infantry looked him over with a professional, if predatory evaluation. "You... Sergeant Babayev," Kaji read the nametag of the more senior Azazel guards.

"Sir?" Babayev skeptically asked.

"I need you to hold this device and stand in front of the door where I can see you," Kaji said handing the younger and far stronger man the solid state computer drive.

Babayev turned to Misako.

Misako blinked then looked to Kaji. "That's what she gave you?"

"Yup, so I didn't get the chance to sweep it or clear it."

Nodding, Misako turned to Babayev. "Do what he says. It's for security."

"Ma'am," Babayev saluted. As odd security related tasks go, this one was straightforward. In case the object held a listening device, he was to hold it outside the room, and in case Azazel were to take the drive or copy it, he was to hold it where this Nerv Inspector could see it.

Kaji and Misako stepped back into the break room and closed the door. Looking through the door's window the Inspector nodded and resumed his conversation with Misako. "You're right, there's something at work here. In between all the other snakes and backbiters someone else has slipped in."

Misako glanced at the door and thought of the nurse who had just left. "Really? Her?"

"I doubt she knows who she's really working for, but she's still angry enough to make waves and prove herself," Kaji said, a bit smugly. He looked though the door, and saw the Russian Sergeant still holding the data drive.

"You would be well positioned to take advantage of a young woman's disillusionment," Misako said, deadpan.

"Er... Yeah." Kaji eyed the pink-haired woman. "Well, there's more than just her. This mystery group is working in a bunch of other areas, shifting things, moving funds, pulling information."

"Like the server breaches Ritsuko found after the Angel's attack."

"The same," Kaji nodded. "Now that could have been another 'second Angel' but it didn't have to be."

"Bad enough that the Angels can hack our computers, if they start hiring humans do to their leg work..."

Kaji chuckled. "You're starting to see what I'm unraveling here. It's not just hackers. They could hire mercenaries, scientists, lobbyists, entire companies."

Misako sighed. "Figures. Keep me apprised of how bad things are."

"A bit cynical," Kaji said as he followed Misako to the door.

"You start working with Russians you get that. Isn't that right Sergeant?"

Babayev handed the drive back to Kaji and eyed the man as he put his left hand back onto his carbine. "Dah, only rationed in worst of winters."

"Oh... okay." Kaji shook his head.

"Good talking with you, Inspector," Misako bowed her head and turned on her heel. With her guards flanking her, she crossed the corridor and took the elevator down a floor. There she was met by another group of Azazel Naval Infantry and after passing through that security checkpoint, went down another hallway. There she eventually reached the giant mountain of a man: Lieutenant Igor Khariton.

"Ah, Captain!" Igor smiled as he lumbered over to Misako.

"Lieutenant," Misako nodded. "How is everyone?"

"Good, good. Other pilots are with the casualties from the missile command bunker, but Shinju here with Azazel Pilot."

"Right," Misako stepped forward and looked in on the hospital room. A surprisingly tall looking Azazel pilot lay on the bed. One arm was bandaged to where it ended in a round stump. Tubes stuck into his body and were connected to a bank of machines that hummed next to the officer. There were other burn recovery bandages on his neck and head and down the one leg that the blanket had been tossed off of.

His face was sallow; his eyes were bloodshot; and beads of sweet raced down his brow and neck. Despite it all the man kept a warm face and had pulled himself to something resembling attention as he conversed with his guest.

Dressed in a restrained, only somewhat frilly, purple dress with black trim and matching gloves, Shinju sat on a corner of the bed with her ankles crossed and her hands held in her lap. She had a shy little smile as she talked with the pilot.

Misako stepped back and turned ninety degrees when a shadow fell over her. It was too small to be Igor.

The short but solid form of Captain Andrei Zel'dovich nodded to the Nerv officer. "Is good what sister does. Borisovich can use this."

"He was hit by the Angel," Misako made sure it was not phrased as a question.

"Dah, Yuri... Adamsky," Zel'dovich clarified. There were three Yuri's in the Azazel flight wing; well two now. "He not so lucky."

Misako nodded. The Angel had hit two of Azazel's Su-33's. One it had destroyed outright, the second one had dodged and was only clipped. Still with only one wing, Captain Borisovich Trutnev had to eject. "You think Shinju can help?"

Zel'dovich shrugged. "She help Yakov. She there for him."

Igor nodded gravely. "Why she here now. Alone," he emphasized.

Misako looked through the window. "Sure, that'll be good for both of them."

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Leli looked up at the clock. Instead of her customary dress she wore a black leotard over her slender frame with a fluffy checkered skirt over. The mechanical representation ticked as its gears turned powered by wound springs and metered by the rocking of an idealized pendulum. She looked over to the couch where Armi was curled up under a soft blue blanket. Only her dozing face and curling blonde hair were visible.

Iry's eyes twinkled briefly flashing red. A few strands of reddish blonde hair had escaped her ponytail and she absently pushed an errant bang back over her ear. "Don't worry, we have plenty of time M- Mikki is still playing doctor." The creases on her matte-black dress were less sharp and the sleeves even looked a bit rumpled.

The Angel tilted her head causing her short pageboy-cut white hair to tilt over. Her eyes went to Iry's black desk. The surface had been polished and shined with little white pinpoints. "You've found something."

Iry raised an eye brow. "Continue."

"It's not something you want Mikki to know about... or at least know about just yet." Leli's eyes went to the clock again.

"And?"

"And it's about the..." Leli looked over the desk. "It's about the information you took when Saha died."

Iry nodded pride and a bit of regret touching her face.

"You're next." Leli quietly said. "But..."

"But my attack isn't for a while."

Contrasting with Iry's calm poise, Leli fidgeted. "This is about that special mission big sister wants you do to."

Again, Iry nodded.

After watching her fingers twitch, Leli clasped her hands before her and blushed.

"You're concerned. Worried that you'll disappoint Mikki maybe? Mother perhaps?"

Leli swallowed. "I never met Her."

"Can you guess what I've discovered?"

The younger Angel shook her head. "No."

"How much do you know about our big sister?"

Leli exhaled.

"And now you're pretending to breathe too? She woke us early. We were supposed to wake up and attack. That's what Sachi, Shami, and Rami did. Hell as far as we know Sandi was the first one Mikki, the last of us, found. You can see the problem."

"Mikki's the last, so... who woke her up?"

Iry beamed with pride. She then sighed. "Yes, that's only one of her... oddities."

"She has a human body."

"Aren't you curious about that?" Iry stepped back in shock, before she could finish the question, Leli's eyes had flared red and the younger Angel began marching towards her.

"Curious? Curious! I am the Angel of Night. All can fall within my domain, to be pulled inside and studied. Not knowing about Mikki's past gnaws at me. Why should she keep secrets? Our goal is to rescue mother." As Leli spoke her prim crisp black dress began to... ooze. The bottom hem started to flow and drip and a shiny inky mass began to pool around her feet.

Iry swallowed. The phantom sensation nauseated her, but she steeled herself. If she were to succeed, she would have to be able to handle much worse.

"Do you doubt Mikki's commitment? Or her power? With or without us, she will rescue mother. The Lilin will be broken, and Abomination and the Adversary will be slain."

Stepping back from the display, Iry chuckled. "You forget one thing. You may be the Angel of Night, but I am the Angel of Fear. You think this is about the Lilin and the Adversary.

Iry smiled, her lips slowly revealing her teeth. "But I will show you something different from either."

Leli steadied her gaze and the inky mass around her grew.

"Your shadow is striding behind you; your shadow is rising before you, but I will show you fear in a handful of dust." Iry reached to her desk and grabbed several of the points of light. She flung them up and gently blew them towards Leli.

They resolved into a series of reports documenting a Soul Salvage Operation conducted by Seele in the months succeeding the Second Impact. The humans had taken the body of Adam, of Mother and...

Eyes snapping shut, Leli shook her head. "No... no..."

"I told you," Iry's smile shrank to a frown. "It's bad enough that the monkeys are flinging around suns, but now we're starting to realize the full depths of their depravity."

"But... Mikki..."

Iry's nod was full of resignation and defeat. "Shares more in common with the Adversary than I'd like. And makes this whole rescue mission a bit too... self fulfilling."

Leli exhaled and put her hand to her sternum. Her surprise at the sensation faded and concern and worry dominated her face. "What should we do?" she asked in a quiet voice, and then Leli looked back to the couch where Armi was fast asleep.

"I've got my mission." Iry looked to the clock. "I will go out among the humans, I will challenge them, and I will change the course of this war."

"Really?" Leli bit her lip, nearly chewing through the simulated flesh.

Iry found the lack of blood mildly disturbing, but took her sister's hand regardless. "Yes, we're not going to pointlessly die. I..." Iry closed her eyes. "I can't force you, not even M- Mikki can force you, and when I'm gone..."

"No, don't talk that way. You can win." Leli begged. She had opened her jaws and the torn flesh of her lower lip began to knit back together.

Iry squeezed Leli's hand tighter, feeling something very much like bones. "I don't plan to die, but no matter what happens remember it's your choice."

"What?"

Iry smiled. "Everything. You are the Angel of Night. You'll have to do what you feel is right." Her face sobering, she turned back to her desk and began organizing her files. "You might want to wake Armi up, Mikki is due back fairly soon, and you don't want her to wake up scared, again."

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Rising from bed, Gendo leaned towards the nightstand and reached for his gloves. After slipping them on he leaned back and straightened his glasses.

Ritsuko rolled back over and quirked a vaguely amused smile. "You know I don't care about the gloves. Especially since-"

"What?" Gendo asked staring at the ceiling.

Ritsuko blinked. "Since the burns aren't that bad." She tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong? Oh no, just that the Angels have figured out they can simply attack other cities, the Old Men are screaming and running to their little bolt-holes, the UN is making their usual asinine demands, oh yes, and now we have to deal with every country not only trying to build their own nukes but snapping up every other military resource they can."

Nerv's Supreme Commander made a fist and held it at his side. "All because it turns out that you don't need an Evangelion or even a hydrogen bomb to thwart an Angel. Turns out a ridiculous nuclear plane or enough missiles could do the job.

"But no please, focus on my one of my least eccentric habits. Do you nag Shinju when she wears gloves?"

Lifting her head, Ritsuko looked over his chest and to the nightstand and saw a familiar silver-framed photo. It had been easy enough to ignore earlier in the night but now...

"Do you really want to talk about her?" Ritsuko asked as she pulled back to the other side of the bed and drew the sheet up to her chest.

"To whom are you referring?"

Ritsuko sighed. "Is there a good option? We've got your wife, your wife's body... bodies, inhuman clones of ancient god-like monsters, your son, what might as well be your daughter, what might as well be your other daughter. The least creepy is Misato."

"Huh, interesting choice." Gendo put his arms behind his head and stretched his legs. "I was simply commenting that we both have similar scars. Hers are less prominent, thankfully, but little girls are sensitive of such things I suppose."

"Son," Ritsuko muttered.

"Pardon?"

Ritsuko rolled her eyes and considered getting closer. She decided to press the issue instead. "Yes, little 'I break people with my hands' Shinju is sensitive about scars."

"Well obviously. She breaks people with them; needs to keep them fine. See it's not entirely feminine vanity."

"Son," Ritsuko repeated more loudly.

Gendo tilted his head towards Ritsuko. "Perhaps mistakes were made."

"That's an understatement," Ritsuko slowly drawled enunciating each syllable. "Speaking of son versus daughter, Shinju has made a certain request. She wants to be able to tell the other Pilots about the Salvage."

"I am aware." Gendo looked to the picture on his nightstand. "And I am postponing approval. Revealing that secret to the other Pilots would be risky; it could hurt the team dynamic."

"Nigokiko?" Ritsuko asked. "Yes, she would wonder why she wasn't Salvaged." The blonde narrowed her eyes at Gendo, indicating that she had much the same question.

"That is a risk, more time being conditioned reduces her ability to rebel, but the Pilots are all in a delicate situation. That is one of the reasons the truth is so restricted."

"But you have not given a flat denial. "

Gendo took his eyes from the picture and looked to Ritsuko. "The truth is also empowering. I have not decided if the benefits out-weight the costs. I have to consider Shinju's performance."

Instantly, Ritsuko found the pressure of Ikari's gaze manageable. "Concern? From you. For the Pilots? For the Ayanamis... hell for Shinji?"

Gendo kept his stare. "I handled Rei, I could probably have handled another one."

Lip quivering, Ritsuko sat up, leaned over her raised knees, and began to softly laugh. "You... you wanted to raise both of them?" Ritsuko eventually gasped out.

Gendo folded his hands below his chin, which was less impressive when he was on his back under a sheet that left him half naked. "Quite immature Doctor Akagi."

"Oh no," Ritsuko laughed as she pulled herself back up. "I'm sure you and Rei could have done wonders raising little Shinju. She has been a great help with the other two clones, both of which look up to you."

"I fail to see your mirth then."

Ritsuko tilted her head. "You don't get it do you? Consider our twisted little clone family, the monstrous abomination raised by –well- you is the normal one. Rei did not have a normal childhood. Even I can see that, and I was raised by a woman that abandoned me for a computerized copies of herself."

Gendo nodded. "It was a shame what happened about Naoko," he then said a bit distantly.

"Oh, that's just what I need, you getting wistful about her."

"You brought her up."

"My mistake." Ritsuko sighed. "One of many."

"Well then, shall we make some more mistakes?" Gendo smirked.

"You've had some bad pickup lines, but that excelled even among them." Ritsuko leaned up and pulled his glasses off. "This time... just keep the damn gloves on."

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Clara Cavendish Johnson, CEO of Fairchild-Republic Aviation stepped into the hanger. Watching the woman approach, Hiram stood up and removed his hardhat. The woman was in early middle age and possessed sharp, almost angular features. She wore a purple suit coat with matching skirt, white blouse, red tie, and low heeled shoes. All were cut with the same precise hems and made the stiff fabric look more like aluminum sheet than cloth.

Long and forest green with brighter highlights, her hair would have been the most striking part on anyone else. Instead it came in second to her bright almost golden eyes, which constantly scanned around the room in jittering jumps.

Her gait had the same jerky starts and stops. Contrasting that was her companion's fluid grace. A slight man in a tan suit with wide-lapels and a red and white paisley tie he walked at her heel. He had rich black hair that was tied back in a loose ponytail and wore a moustache and sideburns touched the first tinges of grey.

Miss Johnson stopped in front of her employees; her gaze darting between them and the plane and their equipment. "Test pilots, war heroes, engineers." Her voice was even with a slight Southern-Swede accent.

The man at her heel leaned in and whispered into her ear.

Miss Johnson's expression paused momentarily. "Ah I see, Carl over here told me that Owen isn't actually in today, and neither are the other pilots. Anyway, I wanted the best, and you are it." Walking up to the plane, she fell under the shadow of the immense fuselage of the YA-11.

Carl pulled back and catching Hiram's eye gave a little smile.

"Normally I couldn't come in person, but I though a recorded message wouldn't do. I've been most impressed by your team's performance." The CEO smiled. "They said conventional weapons couldn't kill an Angel. We showed them! Did it anyway."

The assembled workers gave an enthusiastic, but guarded clap.

"Good. Remember. Your job depends on the quality and quantity of your clapping."

Johnson's eyes went to the twin engines in the back of the plane.

"Now I'd like to caution all you technicians that the lab boys back East have found a bit of a snag in the heat exchangers. So far, it's just in some of the production ones and only with the alternate reactors. Still the lab boys say there's a coating wear issue and something about sub critical reactions." She briskly continued smoothly rushing past the concerns. "Anyway, we haven't entirely nailed down what element it is, but it's a lively one. Just wear your dosimeters and if they go off contact your supervisor, and we'll cut out anything that's grown in yah."

"Uh... yes Ma'am?" Hiram scratched his neck. "That warning came from us. We were the ones that inspected the coolant systems from the reactor NHIS gave us."

"Ah, yes you recommended we stick with the Westinghouse ones." Johnson shook her head. "Sorry about that Son, but politics and all. However for those of you stuck with the alternate reactors, I've got good news, the medics at Camp Bullis say that element's got a median latency of forty years. If you're thirty or older you're laughing, worst case scenario you lose out on a few BBQs and miss seeing your grandkids become annoying punks, plus you've ensured that humanity has gained an effective weapon against the damn So... er Aliens."

Carl looked to Hiram and gave a nod. The Texan suppressed a sigh and clapped his hands. "Very inspiring, Ma'am," he said as the other technicians gave a smattering of applause.

Johnson blinked. "Well, you deserve it, but I'd also like to inform you it'll be my pleasure to host a little celebration here. Bean counters said we couldn't afford to ship a whole cow over here, let alone a bunch of steers. It's my damn company; I'll do what I like. I've got the spits ready and the pits dug."

This time the applause was far more enthusiastic.

"Now, I've got to borrow your boss for just a tick." Johnson smiled. "But I promise you, you'll have him back in at least one piece."

Hiram walked up to her and she took his hand and shook it. "We can talk in my office," he said after getting his hand back; she still had the same steady and strong grip.

"Yes, after you."

"Wouldn't it have been easier to simply stow the dressed beef in the cargo hold of the plane you flew over here in?" Hiram asked after they left the hanger and stared crossing the warren of corridors and rooms that Republic used as their Tokyo 3 offices. "Butchering takes time, and disposing of the offal alone..."

Stopping, C. C. Johnson stared.

"Yes, that's exactly what we did," Carl cleared his throat. "Beef is expensive, even in Texas. Not to mention the other refreshments we brought."

"Good then, that's much appreciated." Hiram nodded. "But we're all doin' well. The Dreadhog is selling, and has a proven record now."

"It's a hard slog. You know how much money we sunk into research. Truth be told this is the second bullet we've dodged. If it weren't for the Second Impact Republic would've..." C. C. shook her head. "And it's not just the money, we've been facing some real headwinds."

"There are those that are quite opposed to... alternative methods," Carl added.

"It was better back in the day."

"Reminiscing about the War again, Ma'am?" Carl politely asked.

"Which war? Not the Angel War? So the Post Impact Wars? " Hiram asked as they reached the top of a set of stairs.

"No! The one before it. The one that never happened. Damn it! They went and caved before I could ever get out there kicking their asses!"

"Ma'am... the United States doesn't like using women in combat roles, you'd have had better odds kicking ass if you were Soviet."

C.C. gives her secretary a withering glare. "Carl, I didn't say which 'they' caved now did I? Damn weak-kneed Massachusetts spook. The Great Old Communicator set it up, all his little protegee had to do was spike the ball."

Carl Coulton kept his face neutral. "Of course Ma'am. Pardon me for assuming that within your Cold War fantasies you wanted to kick communist ass. I'll try not to make the same mistake again" The secretary bowed his head.

"At least this damn war's starting to look like something proper. Actual destruction and tactical crisis."

"And our allies?"

"Helpful. War's just not the same without strange foreigners at your side." Johnson airily waved her hand. "We've worked with the Soviets before, against 'em too. Just like the Nipponese and the Prussians."

"Ma'am I must remind you that There hasn't been a Prussia for well over sixty years," Carl flatly stated.

Sensing the subtext Hiram raised an eyebrow. He was pretty sure the secretary really wanted to say something like: "What century are you living in?" or "You're not nearly old enough to get away with senility gambits."

C.C.'s eyes darted about and she shrugged dismissively. "Bah You just don't have an eye for history. Hell, we used to be enemies with the House of Hanover too."

Again Car's face was kept neutral; it was a skill born of much practice. "Hanover? Ma'am, are you talking about..." He paused in recollection. Part of his ability to survive for so long as her personal secretary was his ability to act as a surrogate database, that and the fringe services he offered. "The British ruling house during the Revolutionary War?"

"Yes. If old George could see his descendents now." She cackled.

Hiram held his tongue; he could tell this was an old game the two of them played. Obviously, C.C. would drift into esoteric minutiae and her Secretary would try to decode the ranting.

Carl brushed aside the obvious question of which George his boss was talking about. "That was two houses ago. It's Windsor now and has been for almost a hundred years. And the Kingdom of Hanover was annexed by Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War, neither the house nor the country have existed in this or the past century."

"Incorrect the House of Hanover ended with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901," C.C stated.

"I see you treat historical knowledge with the same feverish domination and exploitation as you do technical knowledge." Carl bowed his head in defeat.

"Well you've gotta show who's boss," Hiram said as he unlocked the door to his office.

C.C. stepped inside. She turned to her secretary. "Carl you can wait outside. See if you can get Wing Commander Lysaght. I'd like to talk with him while we're here."

Carl's eyes briefly went to Hiram before he nodded and closed the door behind him, leaving the two inside.

"How much have you heard."

C.C. snorted. "It's the Little Impact, Son. And our birds kept DC and Tokyo 3 from being glassed."

Hiram chose not to correct her. He knew that the various AGIS Radar and intermediate range missile batteries had a larger, if not as flashy, contribution.

"Maybe that'll make up for those Senate hearings the whiners at Cape Kennedy wrangled us into." She began to pace the office, periodically poking into the folders that Hiram had neatly piled on the desks and shelving. "There's plenty of astronauts; why does it have to be a crisis every time one goes missing? We're the ones that killed the Angel and saved that useless half-sunken swamp-city."

The Chief Engineer could no longer hold his tongue. "The Aegis and Space Guard systems were instrumental. Not to mention Nerv and..."

Still glaring with irritation, she shook her head. "Yes, the Russians. Azazel tried to stop us from taking the shot?"

Hiram shook his head. "No, other than pumping me for information about Project Jarngreipr, they pretty-much ignored us."

"Damn Navy. Even when it's the Russians, it's the same damn Navy." C.C. looked off at the wall. "Son, we'll starve before doing business with the damned Navy. They don't know what the hell they want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of your anatomy. Those bastards couldn't even order a damn shower curtain. They've got no business in the air."

"Yes Ma'am. Though if Jarngreipr has leaked..."

"I'll contact the Air Force and do an audit of the Cleveland labs."

"Ma'am." Hiram noncommittally said as he sat down at his desk.

"On the upside, the combined might of Nerv and Azazel only wounded the thing, it was our plane that gave the coup de grace." She smiled thinly. "And since the JSSDF finally, finally got a clean kill... well they'll be more eager to buy more of our products."

"They've overlooked that it was an Australian who pulled the trigger, and unlike Azazel we didn't have any fallout." Hiram said.

"So far, so far." Pausing in her pacing, C.C. lowered her gaze. "That's not my concern. I'll allow some... flexibility in my staff, but I have my limits, I won't allow a repeat of the '04 Houston Expo?" she asked, putting a hand on the red metal tripod frame that sat in the corner of Hiram's office.

"No, Ma'am." Hiram replied, glad he still had his goggles on.

The CEO peered at her employee. "You don't cut corners, Doctor Forsyth, not like the late not-so-lamented Doctor Conagher. And you rarely make a mess, but I only have so much patience. I'll take your warning about Project Jarngreipr to heart."

"Yes, Ma'am." Hiram pulled off his goggles. It was best to let her go on with her rant. Any interference on his part would only prolong her visit, and delay whatever point or insight she had.

"I like your grit. Oratory could use some work though."

"As you say, I'll be sure to keep your advice at the forefront upon future endeavors."

"I like your style. You make up your own rules, just like me." the woman leaned back and laughed. "Back in my day women weren't supposed to be engineers. Did it anyway. Then the trouble started at college. Little pencil necks started calling me Clarence. Saying that I wasn't a real girl. One day they tried to snap my bra, again. That was it; that last poor son of a gun got tripped." She tittered.

Her face turned sober. "All joking aside, that did happen. We were going down the stairs, broke every bone in his legs. Tragic."

"But informative?" Hiram allowed.

"After that they called me C.C." She gave a crooked smile. "Really it was just a polite way for them to call me a Crazy... well you know the word."

"Yes Ma'am." Hiram repeated.

"Not quite that respectful." C.C. coughed. "It's you and me against the world." Sitting down she leaned forward. "Now... how exactly is Project Jarngreipr performing?"

"I think the boys at Cleveland or Vandenberg would be better to ask."

C.C. gave a level look. "They're only looking at parts of it; you've got the whole picture."

Hiram glanced at the thick silver safe bolted to the floor. "The components are pretty solid. We'll know more after a test firing, but there are some real tactical questions here."

"Tactical?"

"Well, Ma'am. Why? The intercept velocity is quite... ambitious, and the power of the laser assembly alone... and that's not counting the global strike capability. We've crammed half a dozen Cold War projects into one weapon system and..." Hiram rubbed his eyes. "Ma'am. We're building something that looks like one of General LeMay's boys dreamed up and... we're calling it a tactical weapon? Why? The Air Force didn't even ask for half the capabilities we're putting into it."

"Engineering isn't about why? It's about why not! Why is so much of our engineering dangerous?" C. C. glared. "Why not marry safe engineering if you're so concerned?"

Hiram rubbed his head. "That's not my concern at all Ma'am. It's a... well... a missile, dangerous is expected, but will the Air Force really buy it?"

"Buy it? Hah." C. C snorted. "Son, if we can pull this off they'll have to come up with a new class of Collier Trophy. As you said, this is good old Strategic Air Command stuff. If we give them global strike, orbital insertion, unlimited loiter, and giant mountain melting lasers. They'll eat it up."

"What about the competition?"

C. C. tilted her head. "Those bastards at Raytheon and Boeing? Or do you mean..."

"Look at what Nerv did to NHIS."

"Jet Alone was a joke."

Hiram stared at the golden-eyed woman. "Are we?" he asked his voice carefully innocent.

"Of course not. We killed an Angel."

"And how do you think Nerv will take that?" Hiram leaned back.

C.C. scowled. "Damn UN coddling bastards. The Artificial Evolution Laboratory can eat my bankrupt-"

"Ma'am?" Hiram interrupted.

"Thank you." C. C. sighed. "Is this where you suspect the leak from?"

"I can draw you a list..."

"Right, can't forget the Reds either."

There was a knock on the door. After a moment, Carl opened it and stepped across the threshold. "Ma'am, I've contacted Wing Commander Lysaght, and have arranged for him to meet us shortly at today's BBQ. I assured him liquor will be provided and that there would be no media at the event."

"Excellent." C. C. smiled and stood up. "Come Hiram, we have work that must be done. We'll talk about that Jarngreipr issue later on."

"Yes, Ma'am." Hiram nodded and followed her out of the office and back to the hanger.

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Iry rose from bed. It was a plain affair with simple white sheets over a bare mattress. As her feet touched down on bare white tile her form shimmered and clothing rippled around her. She looked down at the precise knee-length black dress and matching high heeled boots. The dress was made out of differing cuts of velvet that formed alternating hexagons. A smirk crossed her face. Mikki had been the one to choose the garment.

She looked around the vast whiteness of the room, but it was different. The floor was gridded off by large polished tiles and a ceiling could be just made out far above. Even walls were barely visible off into the distance.

"It's still not enough, it's still not real," the Angel bowed her head. Definition, boundaries, merely underscored the artificiality. The room felt cold. It was a rough forgery of... home, but even like this, it was a poor substitute.

She closed her eyes and the link severed. The white bled out. The giant pristine room was replaced with the uneven grays of concrete. Distant lights and walls became closer and she felt her world shrink, closing in on her.

Pressure slammed into her chest and she gasped in surprise. Her breathing was a halting, stuttering affair. Shivering, she dropped to her knees. The last bits of the white illusion fell to a circle around her before vanishing, taking with it her perfect black dress.

She nervously swallowed. Viscous liquids moved and she felt her insides shift and writhe. The resulting revulsion triggered a chain reaction of horror as she became... acquainted with various tubes and fluids. Stumbling on her heels, she fell and retched. Muscles contracted and expanded as she dry heaved.

Eventually, she rose and wiped her mouth. She looked at the back of her hand and sighed. "An amorphous bag of plumbing, indeed. How can Mikki stand it?"

She lifted up a hand and ran it through her hair. However, the strawberry-blonde hair continued to hang limply against her head. "Bother." Catching her breath, she looked around the small grey room. Behind her was a cot, immediately in front of her was a large trunk, and to either side was a door. One would go to the bathroom, the other would lead... outside.

The Angel sat down. This time instead of the concept of bedding, she found the unevenly yielding tautness of fabric. She unlatched the trunk and looked inside. Vacuum sealed packets had been neatly arranged and labeled. Looking on the microcosm of order, a slight smile crossed her face. A plain plastic watch had been left atop the packets and she nodded at the displayed time. Next to it was a ring with a couple of shiny new brass keys.

She leaned back and looked up at the fluorescent lights. Another weak-point of her mission had been crossed. Hiring a human to procure the necessary items was a risk, but there was no other way, not if she wanted to be discrete. Her arrival was problematic enough.

Biting her lip, she looked between the two doors. The bathroom would be bad, but outside could be worse. "Ow," she muttered, feeling the area where she her teeth cut unto her lip. She then blinked at the spots of blood on her finger.

"Oh..." The shivers returned and she stood up. Her mind went out and found... nothing. It was as if there was nothing beyond the bare and claustrophobic concrete walls. That she knew this to be untrue was the most disturbing sensation of all.

She walked over to the bathroom and paused at the door. She could still go back, she could explain herself. She could say she had been a bit eager and was merely preparing for her mission. So far she had done nothing, especially when measured against Mikki's actions. She could go back and be a good Sister and wait her turn. If anything she'd be chided for being "over eager".

Looking down, she knew that was impossible. She leaned against the door and held the doorknob with one hand and the door jam with the other. Despite being the same temperature the metal knob felt cooler. She knew why, but it was still novel to... experience it, and that curiosity was why she knew she had to keep going forward.

She swallowed again and turned the knob. This time there was no violent reaction. Exhaling she stepped into the bathroom. She had read the guides, journal reports, even illustrated books, but at the moment she wondered if her preparations were sufficient.

After the initial... difficulties had come the shower. Surprisingly, that had been enjoyable. She had let the hot water spray over her body and cleansed herself until she felt her fingers begin to prune.

Drying and getting dressed was relatively simple. Though for the latter Iry had to go back out to the "bedroom" and consult one of the guides included in the trunk.

Eventually she managed to figure it out. She did have to study the underwear guide a couple times and go to the trunk to find a bra that fit better. Compared to that smoothing out her black dress was easy and slipping on a pair of leather boots with a low, almost no heel was simplicity itself. Nodding with pride, she got up and looked at her reflection. Her blonde hair was a wet mess. Picking up a brush, she looked down at the guide she had opened on the countertop. "Okay... you can do this. You beat the toilet."

She turned and began brushing. After her hair had been untangled, she went out and retrieved a slim orange ribbon. Tying it behind her neck, she allowed a little smile.

Exiting the bathroom, she dropped the printed out sheets of the hair guide. Iry looked at the sealed backs of makeup supplies and the much, much thicker guidebook that accompanied them. She frowned and walked back to the bathroom.

Tilting her head about she studied her reflection. "Nah... too much work." Taking care to make sure her heels would not wobble, Iry congratulated her judgment on going with the shoes with more ankle support.

Finally, she took the watch from the trunk and looked at the time. All told it had taken her nearly an hour to complete the procedure. "Huh... humans must be far more efficient. Practice perhaps?" she muttered to herself.

She flexed her back; her spine cracked in a couple places; and she almost fell to the floor in revulsion. "Oh... this was not smart," she mumbled pulling herself to her feet.

She took a map, a bag with a phone and its battery, and a pen out of the trunk, and closed the lid. The map was unfolded atop the trunk and she tapped a couple locations with the pen cap. She knew where she was. She knew what time it was, and she knew her target's schedule.

A black purse was taken from the bottom of the clothing packet that had been tossed on the bed. She slipped the phone, pen, map, and a key ring inside and looked at the closed door.

Striding forward, she undid the lock and reached for the handle. Her hand on the lever, she froze. Iry closed her eyes and felt her breathing. "You can do this; you can show Mikki what you're really made of."

She paused to fish out the keys from her purse. There were not many, she planned to try them all, one had to work the lock. Holding the key ring, she stopped; she was unable to find the keyhole. After carefully inspecting the door she leaned on it in exasperation. She reached into her purse; she had contacts she could call. However, the prospect of asking for help on such a... mundane subject filled her with dread. Mikki was right.

Her eyes hardened at that and she pulled out the phone. Her free hand idly touched the door knob. There was a click, the door turned open, and she stumbled forward. After regaining her composure, Iry laughed. Stepping forward she saw the other side of the door and it became obvious. Keys were only needed upon ingress, not egress.

A bare blue-painted concrete corridor faced her. Swallowing, she entered and took a left turn, locking the door behind her. There were a handful of doors identical to the one she had exited through. She had rented out all of the rooms on this level. Running into a human right now would be... complicated; she preferred to ease into things.

At the end of the corridor was a pair of double doors. These she simply opened and walked through.  
Warm bright early morning sunlight fell on her. However that was a minor annoyance compared to the ocean of noise that poured over her. Cars, trucks, people, even a pair of elevated trains assaulted her ears. Even the air itself made noise as it blew around her. Then came the smells. The scent of burnt fuel dominated, but the aroma of thousands and thousands of humans also pressed upon her.

Finally, almost as an afterthought was the sight. The double doors opened onto a terrace a couple stories above the street and gave a direct view of the city's downtown. Before her were the shining glass and concrete towers of Tokyo 3, and below was Mother's... Adam's prison.

She exhaled. Compared to the lunatic, disorganized hive before her, the tubes and bladders within her were a minor affront. Here was where her sisters had come to die; their deaths a mere inconvenience. Their bodies swept up; their blood hosed down; the pitiful damage they had caused rebuilt without a thought. She stepped forward and clenched the railing on the edge of the terrace.

There was even the sound of jet engines rumbling across the sky. She looked up and saw a pair of Su-33's streak by. Both were fairly low, she could make out the matte purple painted on their undersides. The pressure waves from the two twin engines came down and hit her ears and even into her chest. She stood and took some comfort in that they were at least subsonic; she was not sure how she would take to a sonic boom.

Iry frowned, knowing that that paint scheme called for a brighter more metallic purple adorned the top with green strips on the tail and wing tips. She also knew that depending on who was flying there could be up to five golden halos painted under the canopies. The whole thing was gaudy and excessive, but it was also triumphant and unapologetic.

She forced her gaze lower and watched the pedestrians and vehicles move below. It was more regimented and far less overwhelming, but just as dangerous. The workers, the trucks, even the housewives and school children all had a purpose. It was disorganized and suboptimal, but the hit in efficiency was made up for in innovation.

Her fingers tightened, causing the metal handrail to creak. Seeing the humans this close gave her pause, but after a moment she realized there was little choice. Despite Mikki's wishes, despite Mother's wishes, her plan was the path to victory.

Releasing her hands, Iry stepped to one side, went around the terrace and found a stairwell that would take her down to the sidewalk. As she descended she glanced back. The myth of returning, the illusion of running back and apologizing for her... eagerness pulled at her. With each step doubt pulled at her and made her insides feel even more squeamish and full of squirming tubes and liquids.

But she made it. There was a soft click as a boot struck pavement. Then her other foot came down. Her confidence growing, she crossed the feeder sidewalk that led to the larger one that ran parallel to the road, and she nearly ran into a harried looking man in a black suit with a thin green tie.

Giving a little yelp, Iry scrambled a couple steps back.

"I'm sorry!" After the nearly synchronous declaration, both she and the salary man apologized profusely.

Finally he bowed and resumed his walk, and Iry let out a long breath and felt her shoulders sag. She looked at her watch and frowned. Her buffer was almost gone. Briskly walking down the street, she pulled out her map and double checked that the route was as she remembered it.

She allowed herself a chuckle at the image of the young woman with a map out navigating her first trip on the "big city". Though technically, she had been in Tokyo 3 before, just not in such a... tangible form.

Rounding a corner she refolded the map and slipped it back into her purse. She even smiled at a couple of the people she passed. None of them knew who she was, which was fair, she had no idea who they were. They could easily be soldiers, scientists, ordinance technicians.

Any one of them could have had a critical part in one of her sister's demises, and she had only memorized the names and images of the key staff of the enemy. Those hardest to replace. Continuing her walk down the streets of the Enemy's capital, Iry exhaled. Her planning had taken her this far.

Right ahead of her was her target. The scientist walked alone. Unlike the Pilots she did not require a body guard. The Angel smiled. It was the same at Nerv facilities and the sloppier military bases the world over: Pilots were protected, they slept in armored bunkers or had armed guards, as insurance against sabotage.

Scientists and maintenance crews were not so lucky. Which meant that for an enterprising saboteur, the enemy's high value vehicles would last until something broke. It took more time but there was less risk.

Bearing a tiny grin she walked right up to the scientist. "Excuse me?"

Ritsuko turned. Standing before her was a dark-skinned young woman. Her long blonde hair was pulled back by a simple orange ribbon that gave the lone splash of color. The rest of her outfit, from severe black dress to sleek leather boots was done in shades of black and grey. She did not wear any makeup, though her face did not suffer for it, save for her eyes which were a washed out shade of red.

"Do I know you?" Ritsuko asked, her hand automatically reaching for her cell phone.

"Yes you do. You've been looking for me."

"I have?" Trusting her instincts and swallowing her pride, Ritsuko tapped the panic button on her phone.

"I'm the one that kept running away. I suppose now that Saha's gone that makes me the Eleventh." Iry shrugged; she then grinned at the scientist, her AT field briefly flickering into visibility.

Ritsuko stared. "No..."

The young woman held up her hand. "There's no need for fear. Believe me, I'm more afraid of you than you are of me." The Angel bowed her head. "My name is Iry... was Iruel and I wish to defect."

End Chapter 11

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to. J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, DGC, and Wray.


	12. Exposure and Downsizing

And If That Don't Work?

A Neon Genesis Evangelion fic thingy.

By Josh "Sunshine" Temple

Here's the disclaimer of non-ownership: Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters and settings belong Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Team Fortress 2 is owned by Valve. The Spoony Experiment is owned by Noah Antwiler

Other works can be found at my fanfiction website.

Temporary Backup Site.

Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter Twelve: Exposure and Downsizing

Exiting the dingy elevator, Kaji closed his cell phone and slipped it into his suit coat's pocket. Clutching his briefcase in his left hand, he stepped into the second level of the parking garage. Beyond a row that was empty save for the occasional light compact car, mostly ratty Hondas with the occasional Tesla, he could see blue sky and the waters of Lake Ashinoko. It was morning; it was Sunday and the office park that the garage served was closed for the day. A handful of delivery vans were parked on the first level taking advantage of the open space. The sight of them gave him some relief. At least he was not alone out here. In the distance the glass and concrete of Tokyo 3 glittered on the far north shore.

His shoes echoed as he walked down the row of parking spaces. Turning around a corner, he found her. Bathed in sunlight, she was leaning on the concrete railing looking out across the water. Her back to Tokyo 3, she was looking at the forested Mount Byobu and a group of birds flying over the water. Once in a while the sleek grey birds would tip their wings back and dive into the water and spear a few unsuspecting fish with their bills.

A pair of dark purple jets flew over at low altitude and were almost at the opposite horizon before Mikki could blink. The concrete structure was immune to their rumbling engines but it scattered the birds. As he approached, Kaji stepped out of the shadows of the garage.

The woman had straight auburn hair and wore an ash-grey suit that was tailored to her frame. Kaji made a thoughtful noise; it was a bit much for the guise of a mere office girl.

"You're late," Mikki noted without turning to face him. She wore her slim light framed glasses and idly pushed them up her nose.

"There was more traffic than expected leaving the city," Kaji stated, his fingers tightening on the briefcase.

"Ah, I suppose it's best we did not arrange to meet on the Ropeway." Mikki took her gaze due east. An aerial lift cable car ran from Hakone-en on the eastern shore of the lake to the summit of mount Komagatake. "As romantic as taking a scenic tram and a little hike to a Shinto shrine would be your... timing leaves something to be desired."

She spun around on her heel and tapped a foot impatiently.

Instinctively, Kaji flashed a smile. "It's better than my original idea."

"Ah yes, yet another tram ride. This time to the Great Boiling Valley," Mikki rolled her eyes. "Because girls like nothing more than visiting a sulfurous tourist trap."

"It's got hot springs. Girls love hot springs. And the hard boiled eggs they sell are really good."

"I am familiar with Kuro-tamago." Mikki raised an eyebrow. "Are you really trying to entice me with black eggs?"

Kaji waved his free hand. "Fine, fine. We'll do something better."

"When? Right now we're in a parking garage." Mikki sighed. She looked out and then up. As usual, jet contrails crossed the sky and the drone of helicopters and whining rush of VSTOLs echoed in the distance. "There are plenty of hot springs. Ones that don't have quite as much venting sulfur."

"It's the ground; plenty of power buried under Harkone just bubbling up. Heck, there's even a volcano just to the Southeast of the city."

"Yes, yes and the lake itself is a collapsed caldera. I'm familiar with the city," Mikki testily said.

"However, I think the city has greater threats than geology."

"So very true." Mikki gave a tight smile.

"Quite so, but to your previous point... are you asking for a date?" Kaji teased.

Mikki tapped her chin. "I dunno, can you go through with it?"

"Of course," he distractedly said as he looked out across the water. He spotted a largish green yacht with red trim. It was at anchor and a few men were fishing off the deck while an older man seemed to be fiddling with the mast rigging. The sails were down and a trio of square flags fluttered from the mast. One was quartered into alternating white and red checkers, the middle had two pairs of vertical yellow and blue stripes, and the bottom one was the white X over a blue field that meant: my vessel is stopped, making no way.

"You seem pensive."

Kaji chuckled. "I am. Humanity is playing with fire. The technologies we've developed, the weapons we've built."

Mikki cocked her head to the side and looked back at the mountain. "Oh? Isn't that all to win? Defeat the Angels by any means necessary?"

"And then what?" Kaji's eyes went to the glassy office buildings and across the street from the parking garage. The empty windows, bare shadows, and dark offices gave the scene a sinister cast. The building looked utterly deserted but he knew that had to be untrue.

Mikki tapped the guardrail. "What do you mean?"

"After the war. After-" he paused looking over the water. "After we win, what then?"

Mikki exhaled. "The Enemy would be extinct. The war would be over?"

"Oh? We're hardly a peaceful species." Kaji caught movement on the boat. A couple of the young and fit fishermen had put down their rods and gone into the ship's cabin.

The auburn haired woman giggled. It was a hollow, almost defeated noise. "We are fallen: dissent, betrayal, subversion. We grasped perfection and in our pride dashed it. Now we seek to regain it, regardless of the price in blood."

"Perfection? Most these days would be satisfied with mere survival." Kaji held his chin. "But you're not most people. Is that why you're making your play?"

Mikki turned away from the water. She looked over the scruffy man, grey eyes narrowing. "You think I've betrayed my... boss?"

"I know. There's more to Gombe Heavy Construction than building Tokyo 3, the Geo Front and just about every other hardened bunker, command center, and research facility in Japan. You can tell the way the wind's blowing," he used his briefcase to gesture at her fine pinstriped, pencil-skirted suit.

Straightening an errant bang, Mikki crossed her arms and leaned on the railing. "Fine. Fine. I can tell when an... audit is coming."

"You're afraid, of Nerv?"

"I saw what Nerv did to Nippon Heavy Industry Solidarity. I saw what they did to the Third Branch. Nerv will do anything to ensure their goals are met. You think the UN can contain them? You think your associate's oversight can do anything?" Mikki's bitterness turned sardonic. "Nerv has stolen the keys to creation, and those old fools think that they can keep the likes of Ikari in check.

"And Azazel?"

Mikki's frown deepened as she stepped out of the light.

"Well, I suppose Azazel can keep Nerv in check... for what's that worth."

"That you present that as a reassurance fills me with terror to a capacity beyond comprehension," the young woman said.

"Only a taste of the world, the wars, we face. That's why I fear, not just for this war but for the next war." Kaji shook his arms a bit and continued to scan the water. "The genie is well and truly out of the bottle. We are seeing a full blown AT field arms race. Tactical, strategic, offensive, defensive."

"I have heard rumors, about the gynoid's training, about the other pilots. Unbelievable, frightening stuff."

Kaji kept his face neutral. "It's not stopping, it's growing. Do you know what this war is, what it really is?"

The grey-eyed woman made a beckoning motion with her hand.

"It's an excuse." Kaji laughed. "It's all an excuse: the Impact, the Angel War. Crisis brings opportunity, and a true existential crisis is the greatest opportunity of all. It took time for us to recover but..." the spy lowered his gaze for a moment. "But there's weapons in development that eclipse what we've already got. The Americans are running wild on Atomic Age Cold War ideas, the Russians are thinking big and Nerv... they're not resting on their laurels. You have no idea what they're doing down in the Geo-Front. Meanwhile, every country with a defense contractor supplying Nerv parts has spun up side-production."

"I know that," Mikki sighed; several of her contingency plans depended on said side-production. "Your point? We are in a war of extinction here."

"This isn't just for this war, they're thinking about the next one, and the one after that." Kaji shook his head. "And they say we're a shortsighted species." He looked over and saw that the flags on the mast had changed. There were now two square flags. One had five horizontal bands: red in the center blue, on the edges, and white in between and the other was divided right half red left half white.

"Ah" The secretary's voice grew distant. "You assume the Angels will lose then?"

Kaji forced a grin. "Don't you?"

"I don't know." Mikki closed her eyes. "Humanity has such power. Power, scientific, military, industrial, and electrical. Power is their... is humanity's power." She tilted her head at the sound of a delivery van pulling into the parking garage's first level.

Kaji nodded, his grip on the briefcase loosening. The tension in his body melted away and his heartbeat slowed. "That's right. That is our strength."

Returning to the railing, Mikki looked at the water; her stomach felt cold. "That is humanity's strength. That's why the... the Angels are trying to co-opt it. To learn from you."

Kaji nodded and looked down at his briefcase idly checking the numbers visible on the twin combination locks. "Fighting fire with fire?"

"Humanity started it!" Mikki's voice rose, anger pushing away her nervous concerns. "With the UN's Artificial Evolution Laboratory, Nerv's Project E, and Seele's–"

"Ninth Project?" Kaji completed.

The young woman blinked. "Well... yes, but I meant the Katsuragi Expedition."

Kaji bowed his head slightly. "My mistake Miss Nagisa."

Mikki bowed her head in return. She started to walk back to the railing. "No problem. As I was saying, the Angels are only following the path the humans cut for them." Stopping halfway in the light of the sun, she blinked. "Oh. That's not my name."

"But it is: Kaworu Nagisa. However, I can see why you changed it," Kaji gestured towards Mikki's body with his free hand.

Visibly shaken, Mikki took a few steps back and tried to collect her bearings. The image was ruined by how her glasses had slipped down her nose.

"No wonder you have so much ire for the Old Men; you have personal experience living under their thumbs. Though if Mr. Gombe is who I suspect he is..."

Mikki snickered. "The old fool has no clue." Mikki stretched her shoulders backwards then straightened the fall of her suit-coat. "I suppose that's a perk of my new position."

She pushed her glasses back into place and looked over them at Kaji. Her eyes slowly shifted between grey, red, and back again. "Iruel squealed, and since we're alone and un-nuked you must have snuck off with a copy of her confession."

Kaji swallowed. "Straight up admitting? Not even pretending?"

Mikki scoffed. "I've spent my whole life pretending. Even among my sisters..." She shook her head. "You must be here to deal. What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want to deal?" Kaji swallowed and looked down at his briefcase.

Catching his glance, Mikki smiled. "Because you're here. Again, if you didn't want to talk you could have just sat back and let me get nuked. Or maybe sicced the Evas on me. But no, you come to me with a case full of goodies. Trying to play another side, what'll that be, five for you?"

"Four."

The Angel nodded. "What is it that you want?"

"Assurances, after the Little Impact..." Kaji cleared his throat. "I have to know where this war is really going. I know enough about what Seele and Nerv want that... well maybe the other side isn't so bad after all. All I know about your plans is what Nerv's propaganda says. So, I need assurances. I know what you can do, but what will you do?"

"Naturally," Mikki's smile grew, relief replacing apprehension. "We can resolve this like civilized people." She slowly strode forward. Amused, she gave her head a little shake and held up her arms. "I'm not threatening you; I'm unarmed."

"Good." Kaji swept his hand back and with practiced ease drew his sidearm and, one handed, snapped three quick shots into Mikki's chest , centered on the heart. There was a brief flash of reddish orange as each heavy forty-five caliber armor piercing bullet smashed flat. Despite being plenty of power to put down any human, the total kinetic energy was barely enough to push her back a couple of centimeters.

Irritation flashed over her face, and Mikki took another step. "I am, however, more than adequately protected. I am not a moron!" she shouted, her eyes flaring.

"You've really caused quite a mess." Mikki sighed. She lifted a hand and an orange hexagonal shield sprang up and slammed into Kaji, ramming him into a concrete pillar. He gasped in pain, and his gun went clattering across the floor until it bumped into a tire. Seeing that he still had his briefcase, Kaji gasped out a laugh.

Mikki tilted her head. "You are fooling yourself, Inspector. Nothing is what it seems. You are not the dashing spy, Nerv does not exist to fight the Angels, and one man will not defeat the likes of me."

"And I didn't come alone..." Kaji calmly said, making sure to keep his eyes on her and only on her.

Looking at his expression, Mikki stopped and blinked. In an instant her head snapped to one side and her whole body flipped over as she was pounded to the ground. Most of a second later the retort of the 14.5mm anti-material rifle echoed in the garage. The bullet had just hit the Angel just above the temple, but her AT field had prevented any damage.

Unlike Kaji's attempt which imparted a mere 700 joules of energy per shot. The bullet fired from the Russian PTRD anti tank rifle slammed 32,200 joules of kinetic energy right into her head.

"Told you I'd misbehave." Gasping, Kaji got back to his feet and glanced at her body. "Oh... fuck you, not even dead yet." He grabbed a tab on the handle of his briefcase, pulled a chord on the handle, tossed it onto Mikki's bloodless form, and then jumped over the railing.

Eyes flashing red, Mikki got to her knees. She saw Kaji vanish from sight. Instead of the thud of a hitting concrete, there was the thunk of hollow sheet metal being hit. Her confusion was overridden by the briefcase's combination reaching 0-0-0 and over fifteen kilograms of RDX detonating.

Before the explosion, Kaji had landed on the roof of one of the delivery vans. He stumbled, then tumbled down the front windshield and stopped awkwardly on the slanted hood of the van.

The moment he hit the roof the sliding door of an adjacent van had opened. Even as the satchel charge on the level above exploded with a flat crump and a shattering of glass, a trio of battle dressed Azazel Naval Infantry raced over to the disoriented spook.

Compared to his bulky companions the medic of the group seemed almost willowy in figure. Looking over the spy, he gave an almost perfunctory nod to the man and one of the troopers helped walk the dazed spy to the van while the other watched the level above them.

Two more soldiers jumped out of the van. One was in red armor and carried a Micor Leader 50. A bullpup in 50 caliber BMG, it was a compact if heavy gun. Large 10 round box magazines were slung onto the customized harness she wore over her armor along with a large sidearm and a pair of combat knives.

Her skin was pale, shiny, and looked a bit stiff. In place of ears she had a pair of antennae-like blades that angled back and her hair was a, literally, sculpted crimson updo. Even with her wedge-heeled footwear and updo, she was short, though her amour gave her a sleek and strong look. An oval was set in the armor around her neck like a choker, and glowed a yellowish-green, though it flashed to purple when she looked at her partner.

Next to the cybernetic warrior was an even shorter and almost delicate looking soldier. She wore an armored vest and web harness over a purple plug suit. Long powder blue hair was pulled back into a ponytail with a tight ruffled hair ribbon. Unlike her companion she had a lighter load-out that favored more knives and her main gun was a trim little Kalashnikov variant with gleaming wood furniture. Both had small camera lenses mounted on their vests.

She carried a Romanian PSL designated marksman rifle, with custom fitted and padded short youth stock, fore grip, and a trimmed barrel that barely extended past the piston action's gas vent. Modified for closer work, the scope was removed relying on plain iron sights. Firing the 7.62 X 54mm Russian battle rifle round, the tiny weapon radiated a concentrated lethality.

Giving a light smile, Shinju stepped to Kaji and shook his hand as he was loaded into the van by Igor. The giant Azazel officer snapped a quick salute to the blushing Fourth Child. The giant man seemed almost subdued.

Kiko rolled her eyes and looked up at the second level of the parking garage. She raised her bullpup rifle and concentrated. The air around her shimmered as her AT field powered up, and her choker began to shift, turning pale-ice blue. She gave a cocky, glossy smile to Kaji, who noticed her choker flash purple as she grinned.

Igor ushered the other Azazel solders into the van ahead of him and he was barely aboard when the already in-gear vehicle raced off, even before the door had fully closed.

Despite never losing consciousness, Kaji found the whole experience a mad blur and was only able to collect his wits after the van was already racing down the road.

"That... could have gone better," Kaji groaned, his ankles stung and his shoulders burned from the tumble he took. He thought he could hear gunfire in the distance, but was not certain.

The blocky, square-jawed but short Sergeant Babayev gave Kaji a light chuckle. "Better? Alive for now. That good." He glanced to the driver who gave a slight nod.

"She pursuing?" Kaji looked back and saw the parking garage rapidly receding into the distance as they sped to the north. He hoped that the sharpshooter team had gotten out too, though they were trained to move after taking a shot so they were probably okay.

"Us? Looks not, but..." Babayev shrugged and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Igor gave a rolling chuckle. "I think traitor has more trouble than us now."

"Yeah." Kaji gave a laugh. They both knew what would happen if she decided to chase him. "Thanks for the pickup." He looked over and saw a few Azazel APC's slowly driving in the opposite direction. The sound of helicopters got louder.

"Our job, you got to shoot Angel," the sergeant offered a cigarette.

Kaji took it, and lit it. "Fat lotta good it did. Though your sniper... that was good." He inhaled and let the nicotine settle his nerves. At least his part in the trap was over with.

The giant mountain of a man, Lieutenant Igor Khariton, gave a sharp smile. "Klavdiya shoot well then?"

"Hit her right in the head, knocked her down."

"Exposed traitor." Babayev gave another shrug.

"Yeah, yeah," Kaji puffed on his cigarette. "About that, I've still gotta report." He unbuttoned his top shirt button and tapped the wire woven into the fabric.

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The light and noise died down, and Mikki's vision returned. In a smooth motion, she rose to her feet and dusted her immaculate dress. There was a scorch mark and some broken concrete where the bomb had gone off and several of the nearby cars had their windows shattered and their bodies bashed in.

Cocking her head, she sighed at the sound of some vehicle racing into the distance. Glancing up at the office building she saw a helicopter reflected on the looming wall of glass and stepped back. She exhaled, and let her AT field bloom. There was no point in hiding from Nerv's sensors. Her cover was well and truly blown.

Crimson eyes widened before shifting back to silver-grey. "No," Mikki whispered. A pair of AT fields pulled at her mind. They were weak and only one was like that of her sisters while the other...

The young woman spun on her heel and raced back, deeper into the parking structure; she only got a few steps before seeing an armed and armored figure slipping through a stairwell door, its tempered glass shattered. Their gaze met and the gynoid rushed past the corner. The air around her was slightly distorted as if heat were radiating from her armored chassis. Her choker glowed blue.

For a moment the miniature Evangelion and diminutive Angel stared at each other. Mikki held her hands out while Kiko kept her rifle raised.

Orange eyes widened as the sights were lined up. "Contact!"

Looking down the gaping barrel, Mikki felt a twinge of mortality. There was an explosion, and the bullet hit her square in the chest. The armor piercing incendiary BMG, was half an inch in diameter and weighed over a tenth of a pound.

She was knocked back a dozen centimeters. In Mikki's opinion, it was somewhat lighter than the last bullet to hit her. Though that one had hit her further up on her center of gravity.

Kiko saw her round hit and explode, seemingly ineffective against the flaring AT field. "**For Berlin!**" she shouted as she pulled the trigger a second time. Her choker flashed bright red before returning to blue. Simultaneously, her own AT field pulsed and she saw the battery meter on her heads up display begin to spin down.

Mikki blinked as a string of bullets marched further up until they were exploding just in front of her eyes. A moment's effort and her AT field strengthened and she was able to resume her stride.

Lifting an arm, the auburn-haired Angel expanded her AT field in front of her like a reverse teardrop, and rammed the gynoid's. Sparks flew as the two fields manifested visually and the Angel's stronger field began to press down. Armored heels scraped against the concrete. Mikki smiled as she closed in.

"Foolish," Mikki stated. She angled her AT field away from herself forming a concavity around Kiko. "You think you can challenge me in your lesser form?"

Pressing against the Angel's power, Kiko raised her gun.

"Go ahead, you'll only waste your ammo." Mikki smirked. "Or maybe you'll destroy your own field and get crushed–"

A shot boomed across the parking garage. It took Mikki a second to realize it did not sound like the gynoid's gun. In that time two more shots struck, each stinging impact bounding off the weaker side of her AT field. She looked over and saw that the Adversary's Shadow had come in behind her and sprinted across the parking garage gaining speed as she went.

Then the silent little nightmare slammed into her. Bright, crimson eyes met hers as an alien AT field pummeled into her from behind. She twisted and saw a gleaming wood-stocked vibrating bayonet going straight for her chest. Her AT field flared again, forming thick layers around the progressive blade.

Planting her feet, Mikki met her enemy's gaze and suppressed a shudder. Hungry, calculating, red eyes stared back at her.

Her AT field pummeling against the Angel's, Shinju grinned, and worked the trigger.

Still pressed by the Angel's field, Kiko watched as Shinju emptied her magazine. Giving a shockingly weak flash, each bullet shattered on the intersection of warring AT fields, but the bayonet could get no closer. Every time Shinju eroded one of Mikki's fields, another had formed to replace it.

Behind her bubble, Mikki tilted her head. "The Adversary's Shadow." She gave a thin smile, her suit and center-parted hair still immaculate. "Perhaps Iruel was right, I was too fearful. At least you fared better than your little Abomination."

"I'm no abomination," Kiko spat. Pushing against the AT field was like standing against a raging river, her own field was a strong shield but that only allowed her to withstand the torrent. Kiko concentrated.

"Please, you have no name. You are designation; a failed Child brought back as an auto-pilot." Mikki refocused her attention, her will onto the gynoid. She glanced over and saw Shinju reloading.

"You... you..." Kiko hissed as she raised up her rifle. Her joints throbbed and her head buzzed as anger grew within her. Deep within she felt something... pop. A warning flared onto her vision detailing a containment failure.

"I admire your tenacity but..." Mikki sighed. "You cannot defeat me. Your weapons cannot pierce my AT field, and your own fields are too weak." Again she gave a faraway look and seemed to hear off into the distance. "Now the true Adversary..."

Alarms blinking on her heads up display, Kiko locked her elbows in and lined up her sights. Her AT field flashed, throwing Mikki's back. "You burned my body, burned my city, you sank my Evangelion. You took everything from me!"

Kiko stroked the trigger, the punishing recoil hitting her reinforced armored shoulder, and this time the half inch projectile caught her AT field. Letting it be dragged forward, her field hit the Angel's at nearly three times the speed of sound.

At the point of impact, Mikki's field flashed, bent and then, as the sudden impact forced the two fields to comingle, shattered.

The bullet slipped right through the AT field and exploded against a secondary field inches from Mikki's face. Her eyes widened, but her shock was short lived as the next bullet broke through that field, displaced them and slammed into the final one that shimmered just over her forehead.

The Angel fell down to one knee. Pain blossomed and she could feel a bruise and concussion forming. She had blocked the vast majority of the projectile's power, but not all of it. She dug down and pulled at her power.

"You did it all without getting dirty! Without risking your pretty little head. And now you're sitting here **sneering** at me? Fuck off!" Kiko screamed as she adjusted her aim. Now her choker burned a bright crimson before settling back into a deep sapphire. "Fire against your own AT field, Princess! It'll knock it into the Angel's!" Kiko yelled.

The next round was stopped a good meter away, though it had taken at least that long to slow down. "Innovative, but futile." A series of AT fields flared between Mikki and Kiko. "I can make these faster than your little trick can cut them." Grin returning, Mikki started to rise.

There was a ripple of gunfire to Mikki's side. Just as she turned her head, there was a great burst of pain as her left ankle shattered and she began to tumble forward.

Aiming low, Shinju charged her first three rounds as she sliced through the lower layers of the Angel's defenses. The next two took out her footing. Then the little clone fired a pair higher up on the Angel's thigh before slamming the bulk of her field against the teetering Angel.

The rifle went down and hooked between Mikki's legs, and Shinju sidestepped, bent, and twisted, bringing the bayonet against the blooded and broken leg. "Good one Red!" Shinju yelled as she withdrew her weapon for another strike against the falling Angel.

Hamstrung and tripped, Mikki flopped into a bleeding mess. Horrified by the stink of her own blood, she rolled over and saw the bayonet thrust forward. Both enemy AT fields pressed against her. She looked up into the flat red doll's eyes of the Adversary's Shadow, and felt true pain. For the first time she had stepped out of the shadows, met the enemy, and bled for it. Fear and pain grew within her and the Angel's will faltered.

The blade sank in, piercing her heart. For a moment she lay there, feeling her blood pour out as the Abomination fired at her head in an attempt to burn through her AT fields. Mikki closed her eyes. The blade snapped.

Shinju jumped away from the Angel and, pulling the trigger, automatically emptied the remainder of her magazine into the Angel. She then swapped it for a full one while Kiko did the same. A corona of white light whipped around Mikki as her AT fields rebounded.

This time the Nerv soldiers were prepared and were only pushed back a bit by the onslaught. When the light died down they were ready and fired at the figure.

Mikki stood before them wearing a seamless dark cobalt and azure bodysuit. Light flat heeled boots were built into the garment. Her hair was a darker shade of auburn that stuck up in a wild mop at the ends and her glasses lay discarded on the floor. Red eyes only slightly darker than Shinju's peeked out of messy bangs. As bullet-accelerated AT fields wore through her own defenses, she looked down at her chest and ankles.

The gunshot and stab wounds had healed, it was like she had never been injured.. She glanced between the two Nerv soldiers. "Tenacity."

Kiko exhaled and raised her weapon. Central Dogma was informing her about the rest of the operation's deployment. They were also saying how their Pattern Blue readings had suddenly spiked up. The gynoid already knew that, as the AT Field pressure against had risen from a river to an ocean.

However, more pressing was the bright red flashing system warnings that throbbed at the edges of her vision. The status of her battery followed close behind. She looked over and saw the clone gasp as she reshouldered her rifle; the broken-tipped bayonet still attached to the front of the barrel.

"I have underestimated you." Mikki rolled her shoulders. She then looked to Shinju. "And overestimated myself. I suppose I'm less like my sisters and more like yours."

Reading her AT field, Shinju lined up the shot, then squeezed the trigger. Then she did it again, and again, each time aiming for the same spot on the chest of the Angel's bodysuit. Kiko joined in and the two began to burn through Mikki's AT fields.

Mikki saw the charge and the gynoid's flanking move. Leaping back she avoided the barrage, landed on a broken car, and took a moment to refresh her fields. She narrowed her eyes in irritation. "As I was saying, I'm just like your sister. I'm just like Rei."

Tilting her head, Shinju paused, then took a shot. The bullet launched out towards Mikki's head and blew apart against the AT field just in front of her eyes.

"Mindless child. You just don't care," Mikki spat.

"Too much talking," Shinju growled.

Jumping to the floor, Mikki cocked her head. "Ah... a stall?" she asked digging into a seemingly endless well of power.

Grinding her teeth, Kiko stroked her trigger as fast as she could form new AT fields. It was exhausting, draining work. Propelled by her projectiles, each AT field sacrificed itself against the Angel's.

"Enough," Mikki's dark blue boots scratched against the concrete floor as she shoved herself to the side, out of Kiko's line of fire, and used her fields to lift the car she had just stepped off of.

"Scheisse!" Kiko cried as the broken car shot forward. There was a heavy loud crunch as it cracked and bent as if it had smashed into a meter wide invisible pillar centered around the gynoid.

Mikki's eyebrow rose and she gave a little thoughtful nod. Gesturing, she telekinetically reached out for two more cars. One was powder blue Toyota compact the other a ratty brown Tesla hatchback, both had all their windows already broken, bobbed up into the air then raced down to either side of the gynoid. Containing the Abomination would make breaking through her defenses and killing her far easier.

"Red get back!" Shinju shouted as the Toyota arced towards her and bounced off her own AT field before tumbling towards the gynoid.

Hearing it screamed across the garage and through her radio-pickup, Kiko instinctively jumped back and pulled her AT field. The two cars smashed into the third and squeezed, forming a messy ball of metal. As she watched, her left hand, being somewhat idle, reached out and swapped in a fresh magazine.

"Oh, you escaped," Mikki said with a tinge of disappointment.

"Just Die!" Kiko caught Shinju's eye, tensed her legs, and fired.

The clone also opened up and both rushed the Angel.

After the first volley tore through much of her shielding, Mikki tore a pair of doors from a small van and lofted them. They were shot and Mikki's disappointment grew to frustration. Shinju's 7.62 mm diameter bullets tore clean holes, hardly being slowed, while Kiko's 12.7 mm blew the door apart.

She stepped back, divided her attention between building new layers of defense and trying out new improvised shields. Unwieldy and dripping, a mangled 8 cylinder engine of an old gasoline truck seemed to hold up. Though each BMG round tore huge chunks out, and the engine seemed to only slow the massive bullets down, it was sufficient.

Grinding her teeth, Kiko's jaw pressure grew. Now her own AT fields only impacted on that battered hunk of steel.

By holding the engine from the back and keeping it between her and the Nerv Agents, Mikki could ensure that their AT fields were not forced into ballistic contact and thus would not be canceled out.

As she fired, Shinju watched the metal block bob back and forth. They had split up to flank the Angel, who could only block one angle of fire at a time. Mikki responded by concentrating on Kiko, who had the heavier weapon.

Chasing the enemy, Shinju's lips curled up. "Red! Suppressing fire. Low!"

Feeling fatigue and bruising edge into her arms and shoulders, Kiko adjusted her aim. She fired and reloaded. She was steadily punching through the block, but the Angel had begun to telekinetically tear into other cars and began ripping out other engines.

Finding her waist and thighs the target, Mikki blinked in confusion but lowered her shield. Anything to get some breathing space. With what attention she could spare she picked up shards of glass, metal, plastic, anything that was easy to levitate and heave. Compared to the AT assault, it was an annoyance, but it blocked visibility and could not be eroded with a rival field.

Uncaring about such annoyances, Shinju lunged forward. Pressing against the Angel's defenses with all her will, she raised her gun, was halted several meters short of the enemy, and abruptly pivoted on her heel.

Turning so she could face both the enemy and her target, Shinju snaked around and shot the engine's backside. Each bullet rammed a bit of Shinju's field into the field the Angel held the engine with. Deprived of its support, the block of steel dropped to the floor, allowing Kiko's broadside to pass.

Mikki tried to move another engine into place to intercept but she was too late.

Emptying her magazine, the gynoid cut through five layers of AT fields and with her sixth round hit the Angel right in the belly button. It penetrated through the Angel's spine, burst her abdominal cavity, and blew her body apart.

Hitting the wall, Mikki plopped to the ground in a bloody, bisected mess. Shinju rotated back to facing the enemy. Her arms weakly trying to pull at her waist and legs, Mikki looked up, as blood poured out from her cavernous wounds. Spikes of pain went through her body before shock and massive blood loss hit.

"Open your heart," Shinju said in an exhausted, near whisper as she took aim and pulled the trigger.

Watching the shots blast apart the rest of the Angel's torso, Kiko stepped forward, limping as her left knee started to stick. The warnings on her heads up display had become almost familiar to her. Though there was a new one that had her attention: her battery level was now well under ten percent.

"Hey, Princess, I'm about Bingo here. Finish this up," Kiko said while reloading. It was strange to be able to push towards the Angel without having to deal with a torrent of AT fields pressing against her.

Shinju forced herself to give a clear strong nod and winced as she raised her arms to give a higher point of aim. She tried to keep her breathing controlled, but it was getting harder. "Enemy down, massive trauma," she said into her headset. "No sign of core."

Her vision blurring, Mikki watched the two soldiers converse and take aim. It had a slow, dreamlike quality. She could feel their AT fields and could even feel the Adversary's and one other. _So this is Iruel's legacy, taken out by those not much younger than me,_ Mikki thought as her body tingled with growing rage. _This is an Angel's betrayal. Taken by half-breeds. Tricked and ambushed. _

Her eyes flared solid red and the fusillade aimed at her head was blocked. Layer after layer of AT field sprang up and her ruined body began to rise. Ribbons of entrails spilled out as other viscera plopped out. The last bits of skin linking her torso to her waist ripped away and her hips fell back to the ground in a wet thud.

Covering the tableau shiny, almost greasy, blood spurted and pumped like a toppled fountain as her torso scraped against the concrete wall that surrounded this side of the garage. There was a wet ripping as most of her rib cage fell away. Exposed lungs heaved as the blood flow fell to a weeping splatter of droplets. Despite this, everything above her shoulders was pristine, save for some dark red blood splattered against her cheeks.

"Damn!" Centering the rifle sight between Mikki's eyes, Kiko pulled the trigger, with Shinju a hair slower.

Flaring, the Angel's AT fields pulled in and contoured, forming dense translucent orange and blue layers that mimicked the shape of her body. There was even a bell-shaped projection around her waist that flared out and pushed the Angel further aloft.

For a moment the two Pilots caught sight of the Angel's body regrowing beneath the protection. Then Mikki slammed her hands together. The wall behind her shattered under the pressure of her fields and she shot through the ragged hole.

"Don't run away!" Shinju screamed as she fired on the fleeing figure.

"Target has escaped," Kiko dutifully, and redundantly, radioed. She felt tired and the blue began to fade from her choker, replaced by a dull green. Outside a Mi-24 opened up with its 12.7 mm Yakushev-Borzov Gatling gun. Rapidly ascending, the helicopter's 23 mm automatic cannon began firing and started launching missiles. Another Hind moved in as well as two Nerv VSTOLs.

Surprisingly, the glowing Angel paused in the middle of the barrage and simply hovered soaking up the firepower. Kiko turned to see Shinju using the broken concrete as an impromptu rest. Command radioed a warning. She saw the VSTOLs and helicopters retreat; one went high, the other almost seemed to hide behind the garage. But more importantly, she felt the droning, pounding noise of the YA-12's nuclear powered turbines.

"Princess! Down!" Kiko screamed as she pushed the Fourth Child to the floor, right on top of the Angel's blood and guts.

Holding her body over Shinju's, the sky was rent by a thunderous churning roar. The ruddy, uneven, burning light from the attack plane's rotary railgun lit up the garage. Lifting her head, Kiko caught a peek of a water-filled crater near the beach with a smoking plume rising from it.

Barely registering the latest order being radioed to her, she watched as two Evangelions rose in the distance. The light blue one was in the lead and carried its oversized revolver while the black one, with a 16inch diameter Mark 9 double rifle, stayed back to provide covering fire.

There were footsteps behind them, and Shinju, swearing in Russian, had wriggled out from under her and crawled out of the pile of guts covered in gore. The gynoid helped Shinju up and then watched, awed, as her greater-self's sister opened fire. The beach was obliterated and the shockwave shook the concrete structure.

A meaty hand fell onto Kiko's shoulder. "Pilot! We must leave!" Igor yelled over the ringing explosion as he began to pull her back. The rest of his squad had fanned out in a protective ring. Shinju gave the man a weary smile.

The gynoid absently nodded and followed, limping on her left side. As she turned she caught a glimpse of a bright blue and orange comet streaking out of the crater on the beach.

"What is your status?" the bearish man asked the pilots as they and the rest of the Azazel squad went down the stairs. A pair of troopers hefted Kiko's each taking a shoulder and carried her to the waiting Mi-24 Hind.

After the sonic booms from a squadron of Azazel jets on full dash passed over head, Kiko rattled off her major faults and listed her battery status. It seemed redundant as both she and the Princess were being prodded by Russian medics even as they were being loaded into the helicopter. Glancing out the helicopter, she could see Unit 00 firing as Unit 03 ejected two giant brass cases from its Mark 9 rifle.

It was only after they had lifted off the ground that Kiko realized she had been clenching her gun's grip and released her hand. Still keeping her rifle at the ready, Shinju looked up and gave a mildly disapproving, but very weary look. The clone then scooted over to give the Azazel medic space to access Kiko's power socket. The charger in his kit would only boost her capacity by a quarter charge, but it was far more than she currently had.

From the Geo Front, Misako's voice rose as she repeated her order. "All forces intercept! Azazel go. First, Fifth maximum force. Take her out."

Breathing heavily Toji focused on his orders. He reached down and instead of taking two red-tipped 16 inch shells from his bandoleer went a bit lower and pulled out two white-tipped shells from their special carrying case.

With practiced ease, he slipped the cartridges into the chambers of the modified Naval artillery battery and slammed the action closed. The weapon went to his shoulder, the sights lined up, and his tactical display gave him just enough lead on the Angel's bright blue comet-like tail.

"Got the Big White One!" Toji yelled as he continued to keep the sights on target. By now the Angel was ten kilometers distant and nearing Mount Askitake. Then Twelve.

For a split second it seemed like Nerv had not heard him. Then Misako's voice cut in over the radio. "Go Warrant! Target good. Go!"

Without having time to consider, Toji exhaled and jerked the trigger. Distantly, he could hear alarms and klaxons go off as alerts were broadcast on every band.

Punishing recoil slammed into Unit 03's shoulder causing sympathetic pain in his own upper torso. Visible only as a highly magnified image, the tiny target seemed to split, with one bright blue spot hanging in the air while the other shot straight down. There was a brilliant flash in the distance as if a second sun were rising in the West. Then pillars of flame and overpressure came out. Then as air and debris were sucked back in the telltale mushroom cloud began to take shape.

_Toji_ Suzuhara had become the first Japanese citizen to detonate a nuclear weapon.

His Unit's eyes had automatically dimmed, making the contrast even more surreal with a dark sky harsh shadows and a bright after-image of fire and hellish clouds before him. Seeing Rei take off in that direction, Unit 03 followed running towards the new crater. His power cord ejected and he gave his battery status a bare glance.

"Did I get it?" Toji asked as his heart pounded. The black and blue Evangelion ran over the hills surrounding Lake Ashinoko eating the kilometers that separated it. Concentrating on his sight picture and the dread of knowing he still had another live shell, Toji did not notice when the trees he was cinching underfoot had already been toppled. Or when they were on fire. Mercifully, he also ignored the highway with its blasted cars and the group of flattened buildings at the junction with a side road and a pair of off-ramps.

"Pattern Blue Detected!" Maya's voice seemed to scream in his ear.

"Target Miss!" Makoto added after watching footage taken by an over watch UAV before its cameras had burned out. "Premature detonation Angel hundred meters distant, going straight down."

"Damnit! Where the hell is she?" Toji asked as he walked Unit 03 forward. The Evangelion's feet stomped on brittle ashes and churned earth and melted sand. In the distance at the other side of the crater were more fires and some trees that were still standing, but before him was simply a burnt out wasteland.

"Possible to your North," Maya stated as she added a flashing icon to the networked map overlay. It was roughly in the same location as

"Pattern Orange. Repeat Pattern Orange," First Lieutenant Shigeru Aoba, declared as new alerts flashed on his computer screen.

"A second Angel?" Looking up, Toji stepped back and twisted so that Unit 03 stood back to back with Unit 00. "How're you for battery Rei?"

"Adequate, Fifth I-" Rei stopped as the ground a hundred meters in front of her burst open in a geyser of ash and rocks as Mikki burst out. Rei fired her revolver and a brace of 14 inch high explosive shells each one pulling a bit of Unit 00's AT field shot past the tiny zig-zagging Angel.

"Air support is inbound," Makoto reported, his statement being preceded by the heavy droning of the YA-11's nuclear powered turbine engines.

Hitting the ejector lever and flicking her wrist, Rei sent six shells flying from the gun's open cylinder. Her pupils widened as more confused status updates came over the radio channel.

"Rei! Above you!" Toji shouted as a gigantic white and black banded sphere appeared in the air and plummeted straight down with Azazel jets trailing like falcons after a fat goose.

"Where the hell did that thing come from?" Misako's voice demanded. On an intercept course, it seemed like the orb was in a race with its own shadow towards the two Evangelions.

"Pattern Orange located," Maya dutifully, but redundantly stated

Holding her empty gun one-handed, Rei drew her progressive spade and flung the entrenching tool at the onrushing sphere. Tracking its flight she noticed Mikki's blue form race back into view, running straight towards the orb's shadow.

Toji snapped his gun up. Then, remembering the load-out of the remaining shell, he dropped the weapon on its sling and drew the revolver from its cross draw holster.

"No Fifth! The shadow. Use your Mark 9," Rei cried as the spade, and a flaming beam from the YA11's railgun hit the banded ball which... popped, while the shadow remained.

Toji immediately adjusted his am and fired into the dark circle. To the other pilots' credit they also took Rei's orders and adjusted their aim with both Captain Zel'dovich, his wingmen and Wing Commander Lysaght pummeling the ground.

The shadow vanished and Toji listened to the various scientists debate about the sudden disappearance of the Pattern Blue and Orange signals. Leaning back in his cockpit and idly reloading, Toji could imagine the wild gestures that went along with the heated ranting. He looked to his battery indicator and was surprised at how little time had actually passed.

Snapping his revolver closed, Toji holstered it and waited for a lull in the conversation. "Warrant Suzuhara here. I dunno about the rest of ya'll but from here it looks like the Angel had a friend come in and teleport her out. That what you think Rei?"

Toji could swear that in the display image the middle clone showed a bit of approval, and embarrassment at the attention. "Yes. Yes Fifth, there was no core destruction. The Angel has escaped."

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Stepping from the Magi terminal to the isolated system, Ritsuko looked over to Gendo at the head of the conference table. The commander of Nerv made it a point to look to his tactical chief, his second in command, and his intelligence... asset before nodding.

Entering her security code Ritsuko then confirmed her identity with the senior over-watch officer of the Caina Containment Complex. As Ikari provided his own credentials, Ritsuko plugged the data cable from the screen at the front of the conference room into the computer on the quarantined network and flipped on the microphone and camera.

The screen turned on and after displaying the Nerv logo switched to what appeared to be a grinning young teenage girl with dusky skin. Her strawberry blond hair also clashed with her vaguely southeast Asian features.

Sitting straight backed with her legs crossed at the knee, she wore a prim grey knee-length dress with black trim. Her hair and her orange ribbon were the only splashes of color in a drab, if pristine, cell of rounded corners and walls.

The young woman's grey eyes seemed to scan the room. It gave the impression that she could see through the massive display itself, instead of the mundane reality of her watching via a monitor propped up in the cell's observation gallery.

Gauging the mood in the conference room, the Angel's smile wilted. Her shoulders drooped and her leg bounced nervously on her knee. "So... my sister lives?" Iry asked. Nervously, she glanced up. "Was my intelligence insufficient?" This time she was nervous and fear had crept into her voice.

Gendo leaned forward hiding his chin behind interlaced fingers held level. He looked from the Angel in human flesh to the woman that wore his wife's face. More than Rei, the Captain represented how much work remained to be done: his reach still exceeded his grasp. He looked to the clone and gave a slight nod.

Misako met his gaze. "The information was correct." She stated. "An Angel had infiltrated Gombe Heavy Construction, and was making contact with several intelligence organizations and other groups." She gave a sharp glare across the table at Kaji.

The spook coughed. "Yeah... she was an Angel all right." He glanced at the screen. "I confronted her, she responded to the name Kaworu Nagisa, and then hit me with an AT field."

"Ah." Iry squared her shoulders. She gave a minute sigh of relief. "But... she must have escaped."

"How astute. I supposed the lack of a ticker tape parade celebrating VA day in Tokyo 2 clued you in," Gendo said.

Iry smiled and bowed her head. "I hope your casualties weren't high."

Misako narrowed her eyes and glared first at the screen then at the camera. "My little sister and her friend beat your old boss like a rented mule. Then my other sister and her friend nearly vaporized her."

"Needless to say, there will be a celebration tonight, but it will be a bit more select," Gendo glanced at Captain Ayanami.

Feeling just a smidgen flush, Misako nodded and made a point to keep her attention at the monitor.

"Just the Pilots, and the key Azazel, JSSDF and Nerv staff," Gendo smoothly appended.

Giving a little smile, the Angel flexed her hand and recrossed her legs. "Good. I hope they made the prissy bitch bleed."

"I can see about providing the combat camera footage."

Ritsuko glared at the clone.

Iry watched the exchange and made a guess. "There's no need to provide me with the take from your cyborg's black box. Not that I'd say no to seeing Mikki receive a small measure of payback."

"What?" Ritsuko forced herself to blink. "No, the pilots had cameras on their armor, it helped us watch them back at base."

"Of course, my mistake," Iry cheerfully agreed. "Still my interest stands." She put her palms together and rested her hands in her lap. "So... how may I help Nerv today?"

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Slipping on his goggles, Professor Insana pulled up a schematic on the augmented reality display they overlaid on his vision. The man shook his head and overwroughtly wrung his hands. He turned to the gynoid reclining back in the examination chair. "Did you have to push yourself so hard?"

Stripped of her harness and weapons, Kiko raised a sculpted eyebrow. Various wires and tubes had been plugged into her chassis, including the thick braided cable that linked her brain prosthesis to the laboratory's Magi terminal. After being washed down, much of her armor had been unlocked, exposing bits of ashen grey Evangelion-derived skin and taunt shiny bits of plastic-like sheeting.

With her entire left leg restrained, the whole of her knee had been opened up, exposing the flesh, metal, and composites that made up the joint. The gynoid turned to watch a Nerv medical doctor who was working on the joint. The sensations were... tingly. She looked back up to her father who writhed back and forth with an expectant grin.

Kiko exhaled, which rocked the tubes plugged into her torso. "Uh... yes?"

Insana sneered in anger before forcing a slightly more pleasant expression on his face. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No. I heard you, and yes, I did have to fight that hard," Kiko stated, her tone flattening.

"Yes, yes I know you've been trained to push yourself to the limits." Walking to a lab bench, the scientist shook his head. "There's also some personal issues that no doubt colored your judgment." He selected a series of drugs and filled a syringe. Today's growth was not... unexpected, but it still had to be managed.

"Personal issues?" Her pupils, all eight of them, contracted and splotches of yellow formed on the green of her choker. "I was up against the Angel behind Berlin's bombardment, the one who decided I should take an acid bath, who is the reason you got to turn me into your creepy replacement robo-daughter, and oh yes, was throwing cars at me!" Her voice rose and the bonds on her legs strained.

The surgeon put down his tools and backed up a bit.

Kiko continued. "So pardon me for thinking I should risk breaking something to win a fight against a little psycho who thought killing a good forty, fifty, sixty million people would send a message."

Insana picked up a syringe and depressed the plunger into one of the IVs that went behind Kiko's pelvis. "Yes... and if you had strained yourself a bit more your battery packs would have broken completely loose and your whole chassis would have snapped off at sacrum anchor. Needless to say, your hips and thus your legs could have dislocated from your pelvic girdle."

"So what? I was there to win."

Using his gloves, he tapped a few commands into the interface importing his augmented reality display to Kiko's HUD. "How could you kill Angels flopping on the ground like a gutted fish? Well?"

"It's still less than what I did to her. And like the Ice Queen would have cared. Do you know she ordered Rookie to shoot a nuke at the bitch?" Kiko paused and blinked. "I didn't think Toji had the balls. Shame he missed; stupid Rookie."

"You won't last long with that attitude," Insana stated, as he typed out a couple commands.

The gynoid blinked as a color-coded floating schematic of her body appeared hovering before her. A good part of it was green and yellow, though a large section around her hips and left knee were in red. There were also warning signs around parts of her spine, right shoulder, and wrists.

Kiko leaned back and exhaled. "Ah... yeah..." She closed her eyes.

"I put those warning notices in for a reason, Daughter." Insana looked schematic of the damaged pelvis. "And it's not just your internals, do you want bulkier armor?"

"Because you did a crappy job building me?" Her eyes still closed, Kiko laughed.

"Please, the Science I used in your construction is without parallel. It was my brilliance that enabled you to become more than a screaming potato!" Insana cackled.

"I thought you got the idea from a paper Dr. Akagi wrote." Kiko opened her eyes and began to study the structural schematic.

"Well... she was copying off of my earlier work..."

"And it's a shame that, while your scientific skills are great, your engineering is lousy." Kiko sighed and began inspecting the schematics and glancing at the documentation tagged to the various components. "This looks like you just rescaled the structural members from an Evangelion into something human sized."

"I ensured there was a sufficient margin of error on the load strength."

Kiko glared. "You lazy sack of science."

"You weren't supposed to fight face to face! You were built to pilot. Deep inside the plug you'd taking G loads and other forces nice and slow dampened by the rest of your greater self, it's not like getting directly punched by a crazy Angel."

"And when Nerv started grooming me and the clones for direct combat action?"

"You rejected my upgrades!"

Kiko crossed her arms. "You wanted me to look like a battle-maid."

"With chest missiles! And I had plans for a rotary cannon to be mounted under your skirt."

Kiko's head slowly tilted to one side until it bumped against one of her shoulder pylons. "Mother really didn't pick you for your personality, did she?"

"Feh, harpy couldn't stand the sight of me. But she realized the brilliance of my Science!"

"How come my family's more screwed up than Wondergirl's?" Kiko muttered straightening her posture.

"If it wasn't for my Science you wouldn't have stood a chance against that manufactured Angel." Insana shrieked.

Kiko winced. "Yes, being able to fight Angels is the only reason I can accept being this... thing." Blinking rapidly, the gynoid looked down at herself and then wiped at the corners of her eyes.

Insana frowned. "Now Asuka, I'm sure-"

"No," Kiko looked up meeting and holding his gaze. For once the jittery man froze. "I've told you. You don't get to call me that. You made me into Nigokiko. Of all people you, Father, you cannot play pretend."

"But I've could do more upgrades for you, maybe something that wouldn't make you cry. And I saved your life!" he added thrusting up a raised index finger before awkwardly lowering his arm and shuffling his feet.

"And that's the only reason why I'm still talking to you." Kiko shook her head. "Father... I don't like being a robot. I'm not like the Ayanamis, I wasn't always like this. I was normal once."

Insana began to giggle.

"Hey! I was."

"Oh no, far be it for me to dispute the normality of a child prodigy raised from birth to pilot promethean war machines powered by purloined tools of creation. But that's not what I was laughing about."

The Nerv surgeon cleared his throat, Kiko nodded, and he resumed working on her knee. "Well, what were you cackling about?" Kiko asked.

Again, Insana froze and looked between his daughter, the surgeon, and the assorted aides and nurses who were also assisting in the repairs. Most were further off at the various lab stations, fabricators and machines that filled the elongated laboratory space. "Oh... just a few suspicions I have about Ritsuko's project."

She followed her father's gaze, as best as she could with his goggles and twitching. Taking in the rest of the Nerv staff she nodded in understanding. "We'll talk about it later?"

Insana tittered.

"This better not be a rant about how you could have made them better," Kiko warned.

"Oh not entirely!" Insana looked into the distance and flexed his fingers.

Kiko wondered if he was accessing something only he could see or simply being... himself.

"Yes, yes... we can arrange it," Insana assured. "And perhaps we can discuss some... upgrades." He returned to the schematic and enlarged the pelvic region and frowned.

"Nothing crazy!"

"Daughter, how could you think so little of me?" Insana asked, sounding hurt.

"She's got better judgment than her father?" Ritsuko asked as she strode across the cavernous lab.

Turning make a point of studying his daughter, Insana eagerly nodded. "Yes, she definitely takes after her mother."

"Hey!" Kiko yelled.

"What? Going to take that as an insult?" Insana sneered.

"It's not like you're capable of giving a compliment," Ritsuko picked up a spare set of goggles and frowned at the silver and black spirals on the lenses. The scientist then took some sanitizer and methodically cleaned the goggles before hesitantly pulling them on.

She switched onto the common channel and was rewarded with the display of Kiko's structural schematic as well as other diagnostics. She gave a low whistle. "My god... And I thought Shinju had strained herself. Kiko you really should have..."

"What? Run off and let Princess get crushed?" Kiko snorted. "Ice Queen was fine with our actions. She even thought it deserved a party; she pushed for Commander Ikari to have one for all of us."

Ritsuko's eye twitched at the reference to Gendo. "She's hardly impartial."

"She's my commanding officer. And she's stone cold enough to be professional." Kiko rubbed her forehead. "Great... now I'm defending her. Maybe I did overheat myself and melt my brain. First complementing Rookie, and now this? Not good."

"Oh no, I checked your temperature probes." Insana tittered. "At no point did your cranial temperature exceed design limit."

"Joy," Kiko deadpanned.

"How did our little snitch perform?" Insana leered.

"Cooperative, informative, vindictive." Ritsuko then turned away from the schematic. "She honestly seems to hate her 'Oneesama'."

"Also known as Mikki Yamada, alias Kaworu Nagisa, Seel- er- code name Tabris, Nerv designation Michael," Insana recited before shaking his head sadly.

"Big whoop, she's got a bunch of names. Sneaky snake," Kiko grumbled.

Ritsuko noted his expression. "Yes, I'm afraid you won't be getting a fresh S2 organ to dissect."

"But think of the possibilities!" Insana cried. "Do you know how much easier it would be to build a working test rig with one of those?"

"No. The Commander has made his decision," Ritsuko stiffly said, wishing for a cigarette.

"You don't agree. You think he's taking a big risk." Insana giggled. "Why does he care? It's not like she's a real prisoner of war, and even if she was it's not like we have to obey the rules of war."

Behind her goggles, Ritsuko narrowed her eyes. "She's not a POW. This isn't someone we captured, this is someone who jumped into our, into my, hands - and, notably, who just gave us information that got her boss very nearly eviscerated, and gleefully at that."

"Where by 'very nearly' you actually mean 'actually, it just didn't take'," Insana pedantically corrected.

"You're defending her? You wanted to vivisect her!" Ritsuko's eyebrow rose, though her goggles largely concealed that action.

"Oh, I still do, but that won't stop me from correcting you. Truth is vital to Science." Insana huffed. "And vivisection is quite informative, if only more queasy so-called men of Science had the courage to use it!" he screeched

Kiko looked down at her open hatches and panels. She shook her head.

"Well, she almost gave us a fresh S2 organ, and I won't say no to the consolation prizes," Insana wriggled his fingers and called up a few images from the parking garage and from his annex lab and shared them on the common augmented reality display projected on both the goggles and Kiko's HUD.

The second set of images showed a clear box-like slab that held the preserved bits of Angel flesh. Running from the floating ribs to the feet, roughly half of the human form was contained within the chamber.

"You got her body," Kiko's eyes widened but she found her tone surprisingly flat.

"Of course, it's really a fascinating construct. We'll know more but so far, there's some interesting parallels to a certain Human Evolutionary Lab project," Insana gave Ritsuko a meaningful glance. "One that has a one third failure rate."

The blonde rolled her eyes. On that subject, there were more decisions of Ikari's that she disagreed with.

"I'd know more, but family comes first," Insana soothingly said. "Managing your body is far more important."

"That and we're not letting you take that thing into the Geo-Front."

"It's perfectly safe," Insana grumbled. "Without an S2 organ or an AT field, it's just a lump of flesh."

"You can't be sure of that until you finish analyzing it," Ritsuko sighed.

Insana perked up and started pacing. "Oh, so I can bring it in later?"

"Should I be worried why he's so eager to get the bottom half of a human-Angel?" Kiko blinked a couple times and looked up. Then her attention went from her father to the virtual images of the Angel flesh and her body schematic. "Oh... no. You're not using that thing for... parts?"

Grinning, Insana tittered madly. "As interesting as the idea is. No. I'm afraid the security risks are too high. But I'm sure there's much we can learn on how your little friend was constructed."

Kiko's heart was still racing as she suspiciously eyed her father. "Right, and about that... who constructed her? Are you saying humans were behind all this?"

Ritsuko pulled her goggles up and leaned over the gynoid. "This is sensitive information. We will give you a more detailed briefing, but it looks like a... rival to Nerv was exploring a similar research line in... hybrids. Work both of us are familiar with."

Kiko nodded, understanding that the scientist was referring to the Ayanamis. The gynoid also wondered about Ritsuko's quarantine fears. "So what... did an Angel jump in and infect the... body?"

Ritsuko took half a step back. "Why yes, that is our current theory." Looking at the various Nerv scientists and doctors in the lab, the blonde nodded. "Yes, this is a concern given regenerative abilities of the Angels and the... composition of various technologies we use."

"Evangelions too?" Kiko asked.

Ritsuko nodded.

The gynoid stilled. Her choker began to slowly shift to yellow with spots of red. "You mean I could be... infected?" Kiko's voice rose becoming fearful and accusatory.

Insana rubbed his chink. "Oh yes, I suppose it's a risk, but it's not a great increase."

Kiko narrowed her eyes.

"Even a human Pilot is still surrounded by Evangelion flesh. If an Angel infected an Evangelion the Pilot would be screwed no matter what. So as you can see, your worries are of no extra concern." Insana assured.

"Right, because I'd never fight an Angel without my greater self," Kiko waved at the open hatches on her torso.

"I didn't design you as a combat robot. That wasn't my idea!" Insana pointed to Ritsuko.

"Don't blame me. The AT Field's were a side effect."

"And a necessary one. A human would never survive direct combat with an Angel."

"Kaji did," Kiko pouted. "And what would happen if that crazy bitch touched me?"

"Skin to skin contact?" Insana nodded and flicked through a few diagrams. " In that context... her stronger Absolute Terror Field would... crush you like a bug anyway. Or I suppose her S2 organ could fuse with your flesh." The scientist turned and looked off into the distance while his lips moved as he called up a few diagrams such that only he could see them.

"Father?" Kiko eventually asked.

"Well sure, that would be bad," Insana admitted in a small voice.

"Bad!" Ritsuko tore her goggles off. "Do you know how much damage that would cause? The quarantine procedures alone would be a nightmare!"

"No more than what we've planned for," Insana rotated his hands adding a share permission and pushed the diagram over to Ritsuko... who, after mumbling about mountains of paperwork, reluctantly put her goggles back on so she could see it.

The blonde's lips pressed light as she scanned the equations and contour plot of overlapping AT fields. "Okay... this isn't too much worse than the Terminal Protocols."

"There's also some restraint needs. We may have to look into some appliqué."

Looking at the numbers on the Evangelion grafts, Ritsuko reluctantly nodded.

Kiko tilted her head. "Are you going to keep me in the dark?'

Ritsuko looked away.

"We're alluding to Nerv's contingency plans in case one of the Pilots gets infected by an Angel. Do you really want to know?"

Kiko gave a resigned sigh. "You'll just nuke us right?"

"Oh how crude. Do you think so little of my Scientific elegance?"

The gynoid gave a withering glare made all the more disturbing by the slight distortion of the air between her and her father. "My batteries nearly broke off and fell into my crotch because you got lazy on the design process."

"Where else was I supposed to put them? You implants needed the power. I had to mount the batteries onto some part of your skeleton. See!" Insana said as he added Kiko to the shared workspace so that she could see the same files as himself and Ritsuko.

"I'm not arguing that point. I know you needed to fill my body with all sorts of junk to keep me working. Systems to control and regulate my limbs, systems to power those systems, structural members to keep those other systems in place, and so on," Kiko tapped her brain prosthesis and then one of her shoulder pylons. "But I'm offended at how shoddy you were on bolting things to my hips. You didn't use actual bolts did you?"

Insana wilted slightly. "I have other plans!"

Ritsuko shook her head.

"Hey! I designed to the expected requirements! You don't put wings on a tank and expect it to fly, do you?"

"The Russians did!" Kiko replied.

"And failed! "

"So what? You can't outperform a Russian?" the angry German robot hotly retorted.

"It was only a glider, and an uncontrollable mess at that." Insana pouted. "At least Walter Christie's flying disasters could actually take off. We're not talking about the Angels here! But... if you really want to fly..." Insana looked into the distance a mad grin blossoming on his face.

Knowing that look, Ritsuko caught his eye. "We'll talk later, okay."

Insana nodded.

Ritsuko rubbed her forehead. "As pertinent as this is we do have legitimate maintenance to conduct."

"Yes, can't delay you too much from taking care of your pets," Kiko grumbled.

Insana gave a theatrical, for him, sigh and began to take notes. "Fine, fine. I'll get some... engineers," he pronounced the word as if it he were talking about a biological secretion with a particularly effervescent and penetrating odor. "And have them look into the load data. Especially if Nerv insists on using a Sapiency Driver as some sort of combat cyborg."

"_Nerv_ engineers," Ritsuko stressed. "I don't want you going off to Azazel or the Americans. I swear, between the underground labs, reviving dusty atomic-age projects, and sanity-be-damned let's-see-if-we-can-sneak-this-past-the-laws-of-physics nuclear engineering it's like Republic Aviation and the Russians have decided to fight the Cold War all over again"

"Said the computer queen living in a Geo-Front," Kiko mumbled.

"But this time against god-like Aliens from beyond the Moon!" Insana exclaimed.

"Which means they can get away with atomic Gatling guns, nuclear shaped charges, hydrogen bomb powered lasers, and orbital doomsday rockets," Ritsuko sighed. "As a start."

"Like you have any room to talk," Kiko snorted. "You wrangle a bunch of supercomputers built from bits of your mother's personality. You're in charge of freakin' Project E. You have the Ayanami at your beck and call, oh and you had a hand in building me!" The gynoid crossed her arms. "A few fancy bombs and ramjets powered by nuclear piles and atomic teakettles don't have a candle to the abominations you two have made."

"That's my daughter," Insana said, giving a greasy, but affectionate smile.

"Charming," Ritsuko dryly remarked as she began double-checking Insana's list of problem joints and areas of high stress. After working for a bit, the blonde slowly nodded. "I don't like the risks of direct contact, but the Commander will not be denied."

Insana gave a lecherous grin.

"Oh grow up!"

The scientist cackled as he began to pace around his daughter. As he walked, he made notations on the cutaway schematics being displayed on the augmented reality shared by the trio. However some of his notes were only being shared with Ritsuko. "Overall beefing up structural members and joints should be straightforward enough. However, it will increase overall weight. Hmm... you'd have to be careful certain floors: tile, specific types of plywood, untreated pine, cheap carpets, and even the lesser gauges of aluminum. If we do it right you'll be able to punch through, or dent all of them. Then again the same could be said of any competent ballroom dancer... or a woman of even modest weight with the right shoes."

Controlling her breathing, Kiko leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. It was made out of the same armored plating as the walls, though there were more pipes that ran though the material. Each was mated with a gate-like cut-off valve with hydraulic rams that could seal the room in case of quarantine. "I don't have to have high heels you know," she said once she had her emotions in check.

"Oh, I agree," Insana said as he slowly turned and gave Ritsuko a meaningful look.

"No you don't, you're not blaming this on me!"

Kiko narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "You know Doc, I had a theory that you were behind these," the gynoid kicked her unrestrained leg.

Insana preened.

"But only as a way to keep my father from loading me down with a bunch of crazy junk."

Insana pouted. "I thought you liked the chest missiles."

Kiko shivered. "No. Never, ever, ever."

Ritsuko smirked but shook her head. "Sorry Kiko, it's a fair idea, but if I was going to modify your footwear to keep him out of trouble you'd have stiletto heels." She looked at the armored leg with its sleek feet and built in heels. "And maybe a few more centimeters of lift."

Kiko laughed.

Insana huffed. "So _you_ can talk about fetish spiked ballerina boots, but I show one battle-maid getup and I'll never live it down, eh?"

"The ballerina boots are the protection against the battle-maid getup." Kiko eyed her father.

"Wait? You want 'em?" Insana tilted his head. "I've already warned you that your current heels might give you too much ground pressure. I suppose I could add a system of jets around a sort of skirting structure, or use an AT field to provide lift..." The gangly man rubbed his chin. "That would help with your other request."

"I was joking," Kiko flatly said. She swiveled her head to Ritsuko. "He doesn't take humor well?"

"No, and I wouldn't be surprised to find your feet modified after your next refit," Ritsuko sighed.

Kiko returned to studying the quarantine valves mounted in the ceiling. "You know, the Ayanami don't have to deal with this."

"Oh no, I just have to keep drugs and hormones balanced between three sisters at different stages in puberty. Do you have any idea how that affects their unique genetic condition?" Ritsuko demanded.

"Unique. Hah" Insana chortled. "How much of this farce must we live with? Will you keep up the charade after your dear Commander decides to okay the Mass Production Project?"

Both Ritsuko and Kiko slowly shifted their gaze to meet Insana's mad grin. The former with almost as much of a slow, mechanical motion as the latter.

"What project?" Ritsuko demanded.

"Oh, I'm sure that's not the name, no, he probably went with something grand... or maybe he called it something silly like Project Staple. The point is, Evangelions are hard to make but Pilots..." Insana put a hand on his daughter's left shoulder pylon. "Well, that's a different matter."

"Are you two trying to distract me from disturbing battle-maid upgrades with creepy backup plans for if Wondergirl or Princess ever slip a gear and start killing everyone?"

Noting Ritsuko's angry glare, Insana enthusiastically nodded to his daughter. "Yes! It was just a distraction. It's not like we're facing the risk of hyper proliferation of Evangelion technology and it's not like today's battle served as a proof-of-concept for tactical AT field combat."

Insana's grip tightened. "Imagine: the Absolute Terror Field no longer being limited to a handful of titanic war machines. Just think of the potential." He let go of the shoulder pylon and straightened up. "I know the Commander has."

Ritsuko frowned. "Tino... I don't-"

"What? You don't think the Commander would do it? You think he's got some sort of ethical limitations? Or maybe you think he's too stupid to think of it." Insana sneered. "Or... maybe... someone's whispering into his ear to convince him that such an idea isn't Scientifically feasible? Has someone been lying; about Science! Naughty girl."

Looking vaguely queasy, Ritsuko took half a step back. "I'm pretty sure I should be offended by that."

"Please, you're really not my type Akagi," Insana said, sounding mildly offended and a bit repulsed.

Ritsuko held her tongue and kept herself from giving the obvious retort of: Yes we all know _what_ your type is.

"Don't worry doc, I'm sure you've got some pills that can take care of that. It's how you medicate the rest of us," Kiko adjusted her shoulders feeling the "plug" in the middle of her back that had been partially ejected to replenish its pharmacological payload.

Ignoring the comment, Ritsuko adjusted her goggles.

Once again, Kiko leaned back and looked up. "I'm guessing you'll need to do some spot repairs within my abdominal cavity, yes?"

"It's not just there, you took some other damage and we could do some appliqué armor to help."

Kiko raised a sculpted eyebrow.

"It's only a temporary measure until we have time for a full structural refit." Insana looked to Ritsuko for confirmation who simply glared before nodding to his daughter.

"And you don't want me to be awake for that procedure, right?"

"Oh, I don't know about that." Insana leaned in to his face loomed over Kiko's "Aren't you curious to see how you tick? I can turn off your internal sensors... you could actually find the whole process very... pleasant."

Kiko felt her stomach lurch. "Put me into Sleep Mode. Now!"

"Really, is this so disquieting?"

"I'm tired, too." Kiko stated.

"You'll miss tonight's celebration," Ritsuko reminded.

Kiko shook her head. "So? We didn't get her, and I'd rather be fixed first."

Insana pulled up a few of the gynoid's biometrics. He shook his head in disappointment. "If you insist." Sighing, the scientist walked to the back of Kiko's reclined metal chair and with an exaggerated gesture hit the release on her pharmaceutical plug. Then using the Magi, directly plugged into her brain prosthesis via a thick cable, he entered a few commands.

Kiko blinked. Her mouth opened. A confused noise came out for a second before her jaw slowly shut and a dreamy smile crossed her face as her eyelids closed. Her choker shifted to a soft orange, her frame stilled, and the various biometric readings settled down.

Shifting her goggles, Ritsuko rubbed her forehead. "She was getting excitable there towards the end."

"Maybe we should up the adaptive response on the mood levelers?" Insana suggested as he bent down and withdrew Kiko's plug.

"And what happens if her brain prosthesis throws a fit and she gets stuck in a feedback loop?"

"Depending on the loop it'll drop her like a string-cut marionette, push her into a berserk frenzy, induce paranoia, or, more likely, kill her... after one of the former options of course." Holding the cylindrical drug dispenser, Insana haughtily tilted his head. "I know the risks inherent in adaptive systems design." He took a spare Signal Termination Plug out of a waiting case and locked it into Kiko's back.

"Yes, but it sounds like you don't care."

"Ah... well yes." Walking to a work-table Insana laughed. He put the plug down into a cradle and fitted a few measuring probes to the distribution heads at the tip of the cylinder that released the chemical cocktails into the gynoid's bloodstream. He then hooked up another IV to a metering device fresh out of its sterile package to start drawing another suite of blood samples.

He turned to look over his shoulder. "Well? Are you going to help or not? Even a stopgap maintenance program will require a lot of work and as you can see-" Insana waved to the surgical team that was finishing up on Kiko's knee. "I only have so many hands."

Ritsuko found herself looking at the ceiling pipe valves before reluctantly walking to Insana's workbench. The augmented reality gave a somewhat cluttered overlay of tables, graphs, and callouts. She studied the Plug's output record and verified that it matched up with the records in Nigokiko's brain prosthesis.

As she went through the data and correlated it with Kiko's stress logs, especially her combat record, Insana checked the mechanisms of the plug itself. "No, I think she's fine as she is," Ritsuko said as she appended her conclusions to the gynoid's pharmacological records.

"Really? Not going to drug her to the gills like your girls?"

"Please. The Ayanamis are the way they are due to proper socialization. And just a little nudge." Ritsuko huffed.

"Yes, so very properly socialized: the party girl, the wall flower, and the killer princess."

"Yes, you should have seen her younger days," Ritsuko frowned at Insana's triumphant sneer. "Oh don't give me that."

Insana waved off the frayed cover story that was Misako's past. "Though I will concede our commander's parenting skills. Given he managed to raise the most normal of the lot. Makes me wonder who Nerv dug up to care for the other two... but it does give a fascinating example of nature versus nurture. Given the control factors." Insana's hands started typing out notes as he rambled. "Do you wonder if there's a paper to be written on it?"

"Sure, but it'd be so classified that you could never publish it," Ritsuko replied.

"Bah! Like I care for the accolades of lesser minds. But on the subject of research... what about your failure?"

"Misako is hardly a failure," Ritsuko stated.

"Yes, yes, proof of concept. And she can synchronize, but she's hardly combat grade is she? Even Unit 00 is capable of being deployed."

"Aren't you too beyond such mundane concerns?"

"Oh, I may loath the applied... engineering... side of things," Insana's voice calmed as he spat the word out like a plum pit. "But I do relish the developmental solutions."

"The situation is in hand," Ritsuko stated. "You should focus on your projects."

Insana grinned "Does that mean we can back off on the Operant Conditioning? Hmmmm?" He cantered from foot to foot.

Ritsuko glanced at the charts. "I will... I'll make the case to the Commander. I think today's shown that our worries on her... worries about her can be downgraded."

"Perhaps," Insana's gyrations had led him back to his daughter's peaceful form. He stilled. "Perhaps, we should wait until after her Block 2 upgrades. That would prove the stability of the Sapiency Driver project and ensure that the controls can be… adjusted. Just to be sure."

Ritsuko noted the worry that crossed the man's face "One wouldn't want to unnecessarily risk the proof of your scientific brilliance, eh?" she asked with mock levity.

"Would you?" Insana asked.

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A pair of couches, an overstuffed chair, and a tall glass-cased pendulum clock surrounded a heavy oak coffee table. The whole furniture set sat on a thick green and black carpet which in turn hung within a vast void of featureless white. A young girl with curly, bright gold curls sat on one of the couches holding her knees to her chest.

She wore a sky blue jumper with little halos patterned around the front and waist. Worry crossed her face and anxiety grew within her as she slowly rocked back and forth.

Without outside reference time simply passed. Armi could have counted the ticks of the clock. She could have measured the pseudo heart-beats in the simulacrum of a form she assumed. The times she had rocked back and forth were also a scale. It was possible for her to simply summon a scrying window to look at how the... battle was doing. Though the simplest way to tell the time was for her to simply lift her head look at look at the clock Iry had built.

Instead, she waited. She was alone. Iry had left, and Armi had learned that Mikki got angry when she asked about the sister who had been lost but not in battle. Armi had learned not to ask about her.

Then Mikki had left, but that was normal. Her eldest sister was always coming, going, and being away for extended periods. Then Leli had left in a rush; she simply shed her guise and vanished. And Armi was alone.

She waited. Resting her head on her knees she concentrated. Distantly, distantly, she could feel her sisters. There were three she knew and there were the... others. Somewhat relieved, she resumed her waiting.

Eventually, Armi lifted her head. Just off the carpeting, a black dot had appeared, hanging in the white void. Starting as a mere pinhead in size, the inky aperture rapidly grew, but only in two dimensions. Soon it had become a circular disk, no thicker than the shaft of a pin. It hung facing the furniture set.

The Angel's mood immediately brightened as the surface of the disk rippled and Mikki stepped through. She wore an odd bodysuit and her form looked strangely pale and wraith-like. However, Armi was more shocked by the mess her elder sister's auburn hair was, the tips of which were scattered every which way.

Her face also had a manic, almost fearful expression. She actually looked over her shoulder as she stepped onto the carpet and nearly stumbled into the table. Eyes flashing red, Mikki kicked the table into a couch and spun to face both the disk and Armi.

The surface of the disk rippled again. Leli stepped through her dusky face bearing a severe somberness that Armi found equally frightening to Mikki's raging visage. Unlike Mikki her short pale blonde hair was still pristine and neat. As Leli walked towards her sisters the disk fluttered and flowed towards her. The obsidian aperture poured over her body and froze into place becoming an equally inky starched and prim sun dress. White buttons, cuffs, and trim, which only served to highlight the darkness of the dress itself.

"And what were you doing?" Mikki demanded as she loomed over Armi.

The young Angel whimpered.

Leli positioned herself a few steps to the side, but ready to stand between her sisters.

"Sleeping? Yes, I suppose you would be." Mikki shook her finger. "It's a good thing I need you." She shook her leg. "The humans will pay. Tokyo 3 will burn. For their blasphemies, Nerv will be eradicated. That human will wish I had killed him today. His own species will keep him alive, ensuring that he survives my wrath. He'll learn to hate humanity; they'll extend his suffering."

"Yes, imprisoning Mother is an unforgivable crime," Leli dryly noted.

Mikki spun on her heel and glared at the darkly-dressed Angel.

Leli simply smiled and looked to her clock.

"Traitors, the lot of you," Mikki hissed as she kicked the upturned table a second time. It bumped up the back of the couch before tumbling back down onto the carpeting.

Tilting her head, Leli slowly returned to attention back to her sister. "Oh? If I were to follow our fallen sister's path, why did I save you?"

Mikki glowered.

"Nothing would be required." Leli straightened the hem of her dress. "I stay here. You get killed by atomic artillery, Azazel missiles, or cut to ribbons. Or perhaps the abominations simply eat your soul? Whichever way, our traitor of a sister wins."

Blinking, Mikki looked at her sister. Her hands flexed and she breathed a few times. Soon she had regained a measure of composure. "You think you're pretty clever?" Mikki asked in a nearly even and civil tone.

Leli shook her head. "No, I'm curious." She turned on her heel, first looking at Armi then at her clock.

Mikki let the comment pass. She knew her sister was simply stating her nature and not, blessedly, leveling an inquiry into Mikki's own actions.

"I suppose I was… short tempered." Mikki ran a hand through her hair straightening it back into her customery bob.

"Are you feeling better?" Armi warily asked.

Mikki looked to the young Angel, to her backup plan, and smiled. "A bit, I've still got you two and that's a start."

"We have a start; we have a goal; what next?" Leli stated.

"We have more sisters." Mikki sat down on the couch and pushed the overturned table out of the way. "And we have something else, something our Enemy has forgotten: our kind learned treason from the humans."

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The door to the roof opened before Toji and the bearish figure of Igor stepped aside. The Pilot nodded to the man who carried a Kalashnikov at the low ready. The rifle looking almost like a toy in his meaty hands.

Studying the pilot, the Azazel officer almost seemed to rumble as he thought. After several seconds, he nodded and stepped aside. Toji walked past him and noted that at least three squads of Naval Infantry were positioned near the edges of the roof. Surrounded by the various small arms and crew served weapons was a picnic. Down to the cooler and rolled out seafoam green blanket.

"We're still good? On fallout?" Toji clarified pointing to one of the yellow and black detectors mounted on the roof. A couple Azacel troops stood by the nearest sniffer; one of which had a small, if blocky, PDA cabled into the device.

"Bomb... not so bad. Wind good." Igor looked off to the South and the West.

Feeling the wind at his back, Toji nodded. "I'm betting Chubu's pretty pissed at us... at me."

Igor tilted his head, a slow process given his massive bulk.

"That's the region just to the West of us. This is part of the Kanto region. Hell, maybe my bomb went off in Shizuoka Prefecture."

"A, a geo-political boundary above prefecture in scale," Igor nodded. "Your job kill Angels. You took shot."

"Yeah, Captain Ayanami didn't even yell at me. Even gave me a beer. Scary lady," he shook his head and resumed walking across the roof. Flins was the next thing he noticed. The massive grey puppy had to be 40 kilograms. And instead of being puppy gangly the dog looked rather solid, which made Toji wonder just how big and stoutly strong the beast would be as an adult. Judging by Flins' still oversized paws, Toji was not sure he wanted to find out.

The dog lifted his head up from his Mistress' side sniffed the air and after a moment's thought his dour almost threatening look broke into a big puppyish grin with a lolling tongue. Flins stretched up and got to his feet, then looked to Shinju and sat back down.

Next Toji saw Rei, who was dressed in a plain white sundress. Reading one of her seemingly endless romance novels, she sat with her knees crossed. Also positioned near Shinju, she too looked up caught Toji's eye. Afterwards she lowered her book, relaxed.

Finally, Toji took in the Fourth Child. His pace stopped. Given the picnic, he expected her to be wearing something... frilly or at least flouncy. Or even just wear the uniform she had on during the reception. Instead she wore pale blue pants and a purple blouse with a bit of white trim. Unbound, her hair blew in the breeze. Toji noted that her headband was on the blanket, atop the white gloves that the clone normally wore. Shinju sat with her legs apart. Her waist rolled a bit to the left to give a more comfortable seat given the holster on her hip.

She looked up to Toji and smiled.

"You guys left early," he said.

"You too," Rei said, not looking up from her book.

"Well... tough fight today," the Fifth Child stated as he sat down. He gave her another look and nodded, seemingly to himself.

Shinju nodded and looked back out to the south at Tokyo Three's skyline and just beyond it Lake Ashinoko. "Have you heard anything new about Kiko?"

"Red?" Toji shrugged. "Last I checked, she's sleeping while they work on her."

Shinju nodded.

"I don't think she'll mind missing that celebration," Toji shrugged. Even the Azazel troops were more subdued, though it seemed more for the benefit of the Children. "But the docs think she'll be okay. She's a tough girl. Given all that's happened to her."

Putting a hand on Flins' head, Shinju gave a little smile.

Toji took a peak at the cooler, noticed that there was more than enough for two people, and pulled out a can of juice. "I'm surprised my sister and Nozomi aren't up here."

"I'm surprised you're not with your friend," Shinju said, almost sharply.

Wincing Toji took a sip. "Yeah... not something I can talk with him about. Today was..." He sighed.

Rei put down her book. "Today you preformed adequately," she said almost encouragingly.

"Yeah, crazy bitch just ran away." Toji bowed his head. "Sorry for that."

"You were aiming at a person-sized target moving at mach 5 at a range of over fourteen kilometers, and you missed by just a hundred meters," Shinju said with a tiny bit of awe.

"Jealousy? Because you didn't get to fire it?" Toji asked. "Besides, close doesn't count."

"Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades," Shinju said.

"Yeah, well you'd think nuclear weapons would be on that list. But no... She just buried herself. Azazel would have done better."

"They didn't have a shot," Rei stated.

"Yeah, yeah, they'd have shot if they did, doesn't help me. Anyway... I did what I had to, just wasn't enough. How're you holding up? I mean you actually were toe to toe with that crazy bi- err... thing."

Shinju blinked. "We are soldiers; foul language is the least of the innocence we have lost. And we are trained by Russians, a people that have raised obscenity into a culture with its own art, language and embassies But... you still try to protect." Shinju's smile grew but gained a wistful edge.

Off to the side Igor's enthusiastic grin gave little doubt to his approval.

"So Red's being looked after." Toji coughed into his hand.

Rei put her book down and gave him a flat look.

Reaching out to pet Flins, Toji met her gaze. "You were covered in blood... sure not the first time, but this time... no that's a point too. You've been fighting for so long you're an Ace. So..." Toji leaned back and looked out over the lake. "Does it even matter that this time you fought the alien monster without your giant robot?"

Shinju exhaled. "My heart was open," she coldly stated.

Toji had watched the replay of Shinju and Kiko's combat camera footage in the debrief. He also knew that the Fourth Child, the Ace of Spades, was more inclined to scream her battle cry when up to her arms in gore... not gently, wearily, whisper it.

The Fifth Child returned to the cooler and rummaged around until he found small dark chocolate cake cut into quarters. His internal debate on taking a section was interrupted by the youngest clone.

"It's an interesting feeling." Shinju said as she ran a hand along her necklace adorned with half a dozen little crystal charms. "Each fight reinforced things; I expected the same things to happen this time. I never realized things could be different."

"Well, it was your first time out of the Evangelion. And even with all your training and um-" he glanced at the Russians "-powers... it's going to be a shock."

"Given Azazel's support in deploying and extracting Shinju and Nigokiko today, I believe they are well aware of our special abilities. Not counting Lieutenant Khariton's personal role in said mission," Rei said her tone becoming almost chiding with the last sentence.

Shinju giggled, then paused and gave a little sigh. "But that's not the problem."

"Then what is?" Toji asked.

Pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them, the small clone leaned forward. "I lost."

"Huh?" Toji blinked. "Come on, I'm the one that screwed up. I missed her with a damn nuke. If anyone lost today then it's me."

Flins made a whine and rolled over to sit up and lean against his mistress' leg.

Shinju blushed and turned away. "It sounds stupid but... that helps... I suppose you understand what it's like."

Toji rubbed his neck. It was something he expected from Kiko or more likely Asuka. As it seemed hard to imagine Kiko forgetting her defeat.

"It sounds so arrogant doesn't it?" Shinju lowered her head. "But it's easy to be humble if you're the Ace. When I fight I win; I kill. That's why I exist." She pulled herself up and a smile spread across her face until her lips split and she grinned toothily. "But I did make her bleed, didn't I? We both did."

"Uh..." Staring at the grinning, crimson-eyed clone, Toji felt his heart speed up. It was almost like being around Kiko when her choker started to flash from yellow to red. "You're worried?"

"Aren't you?" Shinju made a thoughtful noise and scratched the ear of the puppy that had leaned on her knee. "Today the war could have been over;" she looked at her hand and flexed her fingers. "We were so close."

"Even without your Eva, you gleefully gutted her as she tossed cars at you. This is the same person that can outrun jets and dodged a damn nuke." Toji rubbed his forehead.

"Close, but we still failed." Shinju looked up from her scarred palm.

"I think you can at least count it as a draw," he added glancing to Rei for support.

The older clone nodded.

Shinju's eyes narrowed and the light caught on her pupils.

Feeling a chill on his spine, Toji shivered.

The pre-teen clone broke off and looked down at herself and then sighed as she petted her puppy. "I guess I did get more attached to winning. Ego... huh."

"That surprises you? You Pilot a giant robot, fight god-like aliens, and dress up like a little princess. Of course you're going to have a bit of pride. Heck, your nickname _is_ Princess."

Shinju blushed.

"At least you don't have it as bad as Asuka."

Tilting her head, Shinju took in the Fifth child's word choice. "Oh? What about Kiko?" she asked after considering her own words.

Toji nodded. "I can see why... well no, not really. If I ended up as a cyborg I'd still use my name. You know what I mean?"

Shinju stared at him for a couple seconds then slowly blinked.

"Err, right. But that's the whole point. I guess Asuka, well Kiko, doesn't want to be reminded of who she was. So you think you're having a hard time losing, just look at her."

Shinju pulled her knees in tighter and gave a sad little sigh.

"Being an older brother must have given you extensive experience on reassuring young girls." Rei stated, fixing her eyes onto Toji.

"Asuka does have it worse. Sure you girls can pass as human and she can't but there's more." Toji paused to take a sip and resumed in a quieter voice. "You've always been what you are right? I mean being a grown for battle and science can't be nice but at least you're used to it. It's not like Asuka, human one day, whole new body the next."

Shinju lifted her head off her knees. She looked at the burns across her palms before interlacing her fingers and resting her chin on her knuckles. She studied Toji for a few seconds. Watching his increasing unease helped keep her mind occupied.

Rei looked to her sister and after some consideration picked her book back up. She did want to see how the countess would sabotage the duel so that the captain would overcome the nefarious baron's son she had been betrothed to.

"Well I mean..." Toji coughed and put his drink down. "Look I don't know. I'm just a normal guy, you know? I was dropped into all this."

Shinju's stare softened, though a bit of jealousy did creep into her mind. "You're right. Kiko does have it harder," Shinju quietly admitted before sighing into her hands.

Toji gave a slight chuckle. "It's funny, take away the adorable bravado and you seem a lot less confident and somehow... I dunno older?"

Rei put her book down.

Looking at two sets of staring red eyes, Toji had to fight to keep himself from scooting back.

"What? It's like more.. mature. Less wide-eyed stab-em-in-the-head gung-ho idealism."

Rubbing Flins' belly, Shinju seemed to take in Toji's words. She then freed a hand and reached out to her gloves. The puppy blinked out of his happy daze to watch his mistress. Once she had pulled on the white gloves, she gave the dog a quick pat before taking her hairband.

Shinju took a moment to straighten the twin purple bows on either side of the hairband. She then slowly and deliberately slipped it behind her ears. After straightening the band, she pulled her hair back and smoothed it down. Giving the bows a final adjustment and tugging at the cuffs of her gloves, Shinju found a small smile growing on her lips. The clone raised her head, and with her eyes now playfully shining her grin grew as she looked over Toji.

"Er... you okay, Princess?"

"I am? Maybe." Shinju's voice was distant as she scratched Flins behind the ear. "You think I'm idealistic?"

"Sure. You don't ever give up. You always think we'll win. Even when the nukes are flying... especially when the nukes are flying," Toji added in a mutter.

"Bomb is friend," Shinju agreed, her tone eager if a bit mellow.

"Yeah, sure. So... you're okay?" Toji scooted forward to get a better seat on the picnic blanket.

"You're concerned for me?"

"Uh yeah, today's fight was... different. And you seem a bit more... Hey Rei what's the word? For being quiet and well... kinda like you but due to being unsocial and awkward instead of just not bein' a talker?"

Rei stared for a couple seconds. "So not introverted then? Are you looking for withdrawn, standoffish? Or maybe shy is the word eluding you?"

"Eh, close enough. Sorry if I'm pressuring you, Shinju," Toji shrugged. "It's just... well you're friends with my sister so I know how things can get."

Shinju felt her stomach knot up. "You see me as a little sister?"

"What? I've talked with Kiko about the same stuff," Toji's pace had sped up with nervousness. He shifted to look out over the skyline. "We're a team. Heck, I'd be nosing into Rei... well if she ever had a problem." Toji turned to Rei who had an expression that almost looked like a bemused grin. "The problems of being the normal sibling, eh?"

"Is it because we're all girls?"

Toji exhaled. "Eh... probably. But come'on if there were another male Pilot I'd probably be on his case too. It's like with Kensuke..." Toji sighed. "Guy was my best friend but he never got teamwork... I kept telling him there was more to sports than just teasing the geeks and the fat kids. I mean it's not like he was the last boy ever picked... he did have pretty good stamina from all those silly 'recon missions' he did camping out in the woods."

"Fascinating Warrant Suzuhara. I can see the burden normality has placed on you," Rei noted as she pointedly resumed reading her book.

"What?" Toji looked back down at the picnic blanket and the two clones. "Huh..."

Now sitting straight, Shinju scratched Flins' neck. The giant puppy rolled to his feet and sat up, his seated height a bit taller than Shinju's.

"You feeling better?" Toji asked.

Shinju looked to Rei before replying. "Yes, Suzuhara, I will endure."

Rei gave a guarded look, but eventually nodded.

"Oh." Toji scratched his shoulder. "Well... that's good right?"

Shinju stared.

A frown flickered on Rei's face.

"What? Enduring's good?" Toji looked to the Azazel guards for help. "Isn't it?"

"You do know what Shinju is talking about?" Rei asked.

"Pushing forward and continuing to fight no matter the cost and sacrifice," Toji chuckled. "Rei, I get the whole teamwork and fight for victory thing. Makes sense."

"Being a jock has its advantages then?" Shinju said, her expression brightening.

"Well, yeah. " Toji crossed his arms. "Now why're you two acting so weird?"

The clones blinked.

"Weird for you two." Toji clarified. "I mean, did you want me to challenge your whole 'I will endure' thing?"

Shinju looked down.

Rei slowly slipped her arm around Shinju.

"Huh, so you are feeling sad?" Toji asked.

"Your investigative skill has made that revelation," Rei stated, with some sympathy.

"You worried about... um... after the fight?"

Shinju nodded.

"Well, it's not like you really lost. I mean, no Third Impact."

"No... as you say, if we lose there is no future."

"What?" Toji's head jerked as he worked out the options. "Oh damn..."

Making the same realization, Rei squeezed tighter.

"So you can endure everything but victory?" Toji quietly asked.

"Today we came close to winning. To ending this war." Leaning on her dog and her sister, Shinju sighed. "I started to think... what would I do then?"

"Go back to what you were doing before Nerv drafted you?" Toji guessed.

Shinju's eyes widened. She looked back to the horizon. The question loomed in her mind: what would she do after the war?

Toji patiently waited for an answer.

"Yes. Exactly, I'd go back to what I was doing.. before," the clone distantly replied. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"You avoid your sister, your father, your friend, your girlfriend."

"Hey _Hikari's__not my-"_

_Shinju stared and cut Toji off. "You avoid all those people and instead you come here. To see if I am okay. What about you? You must have heard the damage estimates."_

_Toji looked down and found that Flins had crept up to him "Don't wanna talk about that," he mumbled petting the giant puppy._

_"Forty meter tall war machines in urban combat. Collateral damage is inevitable," Shinju stated._

_"Yeah, there's crushing a few cars or... steppin' on someone but this was a nuke. We're supposed to be the alternative to nuclear weapons." Toji shivered. "I didn't even... I mean I just got the orders and well..." He stared off._

Shinju cupped her chin with a gloved hand. "Would you have fired if you knew you were to miss?

"Of course not, I'm not a monster. Look, it's not that simple."

"You had a chance to stop the enemy; you took it. Collateral damage happens, _nothing else would have scratched her, not that far away. That's why she ran, why she hid. She couldn't handle a straight up fight, not against two Evas."_

_"Thanks," Toji sighed._

"Would you rather Azazel took the shot?"

"Yes! Their weapons are more accurate."

"And more powerful. It would have been a larger charge then, and the delay would have been even longer."

"Yeah, yeah, more could have, would have, died, but she would have been killed to. Hell, I know they wouldn't have cared if Mikki was over a city when they fired. We've seen them bomb urban areas before. Really.. I got lucky. I mean…"

Shinju politely waited for Toji to resume his line of thought.

"Misako won't tell me how many, says the damage assessment is ongoing but, I remember a couple of highways and I know there were some towns over there. Least around that mountain it wasn't too populated. Maybe just a few thousand." Toji closed his eyes and exhaled. "Yeah, lucky," he croaked out his voice scratchy and choked.

"It could have been worse." Shinju assured. "It will be worse," she then added. "At least you're not being blamed."

"After the Little Impact? Hell, I'd say I could have gotten away with nuking Kobe. Sure Japan'd be angry at me but the rest of the world? They'd be lining up to throw me parades. Damn that's shitty."

"So, that makes it better?" Shinju asked putting a gloved finger to her lip.

"No it just makes it the way things are." Toji's shoulders slumped. "I know. It's these choices... I don't like what the war's turning us into. Who we're becoming. You know?"

Shinju tilted her head

"That doesn't mean I won't do it, I mean... someone has to right?"

"You're not going to run away?" Rei asked.

Toji looked insulted, then he looked thoughtful. "No, I want to, but I can't. I know I'll feel worse when today really hits me, especially after the news blackout gets lifted, but that's no excuse."

"And there's what your sister would think of you," Shinju said, gently reminding Toji of how Commander Ikari's threatened Toji into being Unit 03's Pilot.

"Yeah… yeah," Toji resumed looking back over the lake. "You know Rei, I'm wondering if you don't have it better than me. At least your anxiety over your little sister is different, and I guess you're not alone."

Rei looked up from her book, and gave a slow nod.

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Slowly tapping her pen against her coffee cup, Misako leaned over the console. She moved the thick barreled aluminum pen to the keyboard and hit a button. In front of her, a giant wall display began scrolling video. One corner had an overhead map with several icons and chevrons. Below it was an image from an UAV orbiting the parking garage. To the other side was the quartet of camera feeds from the four Pilots. Currently they were not showing much of interest. Two gave the interior of the Evangelion cages, while the other two showed the interior of an Azazel van.

However, the center of the display was dominated by a transcript of Inspector Kaji's conversation with the Angel. As the synchronized recordings played forward a red line scrolled down the transcript.

Sitting at the workstation next to the clone was Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga. The brown-haired officer was currently checking the tracking on the footage that had been sent over by Azazel and matching it up with the overall map. He felt the footage from the Air Wing was more important. After all, that was where the Angel had escaped, but the Captain had insisted that they start chronologically.

"Okay... I think I got the sniper team's data set in. Damn Russian didn't sync his clock," Makoto grumbled as he added the camera feed from the spotter on the sniper team. A somewhat grainy video appeared on the main display showing the lanky, stubbly spy talking with the sleekly dressed auburn-haired secretary.

Captain Ayanami watched the grey-eyed woman beckon towards Kaji. She watched the spy laugh. The two verbally sparred and danced over issues of betrayal and destruction.

"It's hard to believe she's not human," Makoto stated as the image of Kaji in the spotter's scope bowed his head and his wire picked up him calling the Angel "Miss Nagisa."

Pausing the playback, Misako hardly glanced at her subordinate. "You've seen the rest of the footage."

"Well... yeah, I mean yes Ma'am." Feeling slightly chilled, Makoto turned back to his display. He had been working alone when the Captain came into the room and commandeered one of the workstations. It seemed that traditional the post-battle celebration had been cut short.

He concentrated on making some notes about the subjects the Angel had ranted about: Seele's Ninth Project, the Evangelion Project, the Artificial Evolution Laboratory, the Katsuragi Expedition. He was a bit surprised that the Dummy Plug project or some type of Ayanami project was not in that list.

Makoto expressed some relief that Shigeru had volunteered to collate today's battle damage assessment. It was a task he would rather not do himself, but Makoto guessed that Shigeru did it to keep Maya from having to make the casualty surveys.

"I suppose you have your own guesses on what our Miss Nagisa is," Misako said after restarting the playback.

"Hybridization," Makoto said, keeping his attention focused on his own work.

Misako gave an irritated sigh.

Makoto winced.

"No... not that. I think you're right. The performance of my sister and the Second Child show that clearly enough. Humans, or near enough, using AT fields."

The junior officer nodded.

"No, what annoys me is you walking on eggshells." Misako's hand shot out and she pulled Makoto around by the shoulder. "Is it really that intimidating?" she demanded.

Makoto stared. "No Ma'am!"

Misako bit her lip. "Shit... my eyes aren't glowing or doing anything weird like that?"

"Err... nope? Should they be?"

"No not at all!" Misako laughed then pensively bit her lip.

Pushing his glasses back up, Makoto found himself recalling the concerns he had expressed with Maya and Shigeru. The revelation that the Angels were being led by a half-human hybrid created by some rival organization to Nerv was the final piece. Combined with the AT training all the Pilots, (save the Fifth) had received, it made it obvious that the Ayanamis were Half-Angel constructs built to Pilot Evangelions.

Which leant strong support to some of the things Maya had hinted at. Such as the... alternatives to creating Nigokiko from Evangelion parts and the Second Child's nearly dead remains.

Makoto kicked against the floor, swiveling his chair back to his workstation. It all came down to the timing. Replacing a dead Pilot and a dead tactical Commander were to be expected. Not for the first time, Makoto wondered exactly what kind of boy the Third Child was.

He pushed those thoughts aside. It was not his part to question the... masculinity of the Commander's late son. However the late Captain Katsuragi raised other questions. Questions, that at first seemed to have been reduced due to the obvious similarities between the Ayanami sisters.

Misako had resumed the playback, and Makoto had started organizing later footage and adding in callouts to the time specific events happened. "It's a horrible thing. We send children to fight in our place, because the alternative is worse. For all their horrors, Evangelions are the scalpel while the nukes are the broadsword. And what happens? We end up using both."

Makoto nodded and continued his train of thought. With the strong suggestion that all three Ayanami where constructs much like Miss Nagisa, strong similarities between the sisters would be expected, indeed inevitable. Thus the areas where Captain Ayanami's personality differed from the First Child's pointed to the obvious, if fantastical, conclusion.

Watching the Angel being knocked down by the sharpshooter and get up uninjured, Makoto noted that the fantastical was no barrier to the possible. Leaning back, he stole a glance at the Captain.

Absorbed in her work, Misako typed with her left hand while tapping against the table with the pen in her right. After taking the shot, the sniper team had retreated. Ending the video component of the battle. Then came the rushed heavy breathing as Kaji ran, jumped, and the satchel charge went off.

Still stealing glances, Makoto had already queued up Shinju's and Kiko's camera feeds.

Watching them get out of the van, Misako once again stopped the playback. She exhaled. "Is something the matter Lieutenant?" the clone asked, without looking towards her subordinate.

Inwardly groaning, Makoto ran a hand through his slicked back hair. "How blunt do you want it, Ma'am?"

Misako spun in the chair to face Makoto. "Don't worry about my delicate sensibilities."

"Well..." Makoto cleared his throat. "It's a bit... intimidating."

A pale blue eyebrow arched up. "The AT Fields? Believe me, it's more of a curse than you think. At least for me."

Makoto gestured to the screen. "It's one thing to see a giant robot do it, it's one thing to see practiced in the laboratory. It's another thing to see a little girl blow apart a young woman while getting cars thrown at her. Nerv's little Princess is scary enough without god-like powers," he added in a low voice.

"And this applies to me as well," the senior Ayanami surmised.

"You are Shinju's elder sister Misa... chan," Makoto said hoping the emphasis would get his point across.

This time both Misako's eyebrows went up before her red eyes narrowed. "Right, that is a complication."

Strangely, Makoto found himself feeling a bit of relief at her confirmation. At least he knew he was not crazy, and not being, unduly, paranoid. "It's to be expected. I mean... the whole AT powers thing can't be hidden, not really. Azazel knows it. The JSSDF know it. Even the Americans know it thanks to that giant plane of theirs."

Tilting her head, Misako crossed her arms. "And how much do you think they would have figured?"

Makoto nodded, realizing his suspicions were all but confirmed. She would not ask that question if the Ayanami were simply part-angel constructs. "Well... the full story requires knowing –um- Katsuragi."

Misako clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and in a very un-Ayanami gesture slumped and looked up at the ceiling. "Anti-social... small favor at least."

"And helps that most of your-" he paused to find the right word. "Mutual friends, with your predecessor are all in Nerv." Makoto then winced at Misako's sad little nod.

Misako's head snapped back down. "What about, Shinju?"

Makoto wondered why she had not asked about Rei. Then again, Rei had been around Tokyo 3 for years, so he supposed whoever she had been "first" had more time to pass from memory. "I guess, anyone that knew the Third would be in a position to 'get' the story as it were."

"You figured it out," Misako stated.

Makoto pointedly looked down at his knees. "Well there's the name similarity, but that's really just a guess, but the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong, given who died with Katsuragi."

Misako sighed. "I told, Ritsuko it was a stupid cover story."

Makoto straightened his shoulder "So um... about, well, the thing that I'm making sure to not even suggest."

The clone waved her hand. "Please, given what's in your skull, if Nerv thought you'd breathe a word of it to anyone we'd have thrown you into a dark hole to rot," Misako coolly and causally said.

Makoto wondered how literal she was being. The Geo Front did have an abundance of very deep and very large holes.

"And then probably have sent someone in with something shiny and sharp to make sure," she added after a bit of thought.

"Misa... err.. Ma'am. That really does not fill me with relief."

Misako tapped the edge of her console with her pen.

Makoto noticed that there were crown like bevels cut on the end of the aluminum framed instrument, and that the front consisted of a strong point. Not only could it double as a Kubotan, but either end of the pen could work as a fairly well improvised weapon. Even worse, Makoto knew she carried at least one sidearm and at least two full fixed blade combat knives. So having a tertiary device spoke of... preparedness.

The tapping stopped with a heavy thunk. Misako looked back to her subordinate. "This is Nerv, Lieutenant. Dark, dangerous secrets are our coin. The time for being uncomfortable with what you know, with what you think you know, has long passed."

Makoto pulled himself back up and straightened his glasses. "No, if anything I feel better."

"Really?"

"I no longer feel like I'm seeing a ghost. Seeing a person and not knowing-" Makoto blinked. "Oh hell, you must know exactly what it's like."

"Feigning unfamiliarity was..." Misako let her sentence drift off as she stared out past the wall. "Damn, listen to me, I really do sound like her." She flexed one of her hands, smaller and more delicate than before, but so very much hers.

"Ma'am?"

Misako slowly shook her head. "No. There's things I really can't talk about," she put the pen down and put her hand over Makoto's. "But I appreciate having friends; friends that know... me."

Looking at her hand, Makoto coughed. The awkward feeling increased until she removed her hand. "Well, it's a shame that you have to keep this from your family and –uh- friends." As he talked, the awkwardness increased once again; he recalled another similarity between Captain Katsuragi and her "replacement".

No friends, no family, no contacts outside of Nerv. If you took away her sisters the elder Ayanami seemed as isolated as Katsuragi, and even then Rei had lived here since the Human Evolutionary Lab days. And Shinju, for her part, seemed so gung-ho Eva Pilot that Makoto had a hard time linking the Nerv's Pretty Princess with what little he knew about the Third Child.

Giving one final squeeze with her hand before withdrawing, Misako's smile was bittersweet and sad. "I have Ritsuko, and you guys. It's hard, but secrets and lies..." Her eyes narrowed. "It's all secrets and lies with these people."

"You okay?" Makoto glanced from her eyes to the paused display screen.

"Sure, sure. I knew what I was signing on for. I wanted revenge against the Angels, I didn't care about the cost." the captain flexed her hands and gave a harsh laugh. "Good thing 'eh?"

"Misako?" Makoto asked stressing the latter part of her name.

"Right, I also wanted to ensure my sisters were in the best of hands." Another sad laugh. "And I even screwed that up. At least I made sure Shinju came out okay."

Unsure of what to say, Makoto held his tongue and simply nodded. The captain seemed to be being a bit too "free" with her words. Though it did seem to answer why whatever process that had transferred the Third Child into a younger Ayanami clone had also, and apparently precedingly, been done to transfer Misato into an older clone. Misako was the guinea pig. If the process worked on her, then it would work for the Third Child.

Misako shook her head. "Sorry for being so chatty."

"What? I mean, it's a bit... open but you're not saying much."

Misako snickered before regaining her composure. "I suppose moving back in with Rei is rubbing off on me. She always was quiet growing up. And little Shinju took after her, you know how idolizing little sisters can get."

"I have a younger brother, he's at the academy now," Makoto shrugged. He wondered how much of what the Captain had said was the cover story, and how much was from what Misako, Misato, had experienced.

"Tactical or Scientific?" Misako asked as she leaned back a bit.

"VSTOL mechanic," Makoto admitted.

"It's a good skill. There'll always be war machines, and always be war. He'll never go hungry."

Makoto gave a nervous laugh. "I guess."

"Will he get deployed to Tokyo 3?"

"I don't know. It's too early," Makoto idly worked at his keyboard. "I guess it'd be nice to have Shiro close by but you know what this posting's like." He gestured with his head at some of the battle footage.

Misako nodded.

The door slid open and Misako hit a couple keys locking all the display screens.

"My, someone's paranoid," Kaji chuckled as he stepped into the darkened room.

"Inspector." Misako gave a stiff nod. Once the door closed behind the spook, she unlocked the displays. "You still need to submit your report."

Shaking his head, Kaji pulled up a chair. "I'm working on it. But isn't it redundant?" He eyed some of the video feeds.

"That's the procedure," Misako stated.

"So cold," Kaji stated.

The clone glared.

"Fine." Laughing, Kaji gave Makoto a bare glance. "Sorry, it's just been one of those days."

"Really, I hadn't noticed."

Kaji's smirk vanished, replaced with concern. "How are your sisters? That battle really got out of hand."

Misako crossed her arms.

Kaji felt her eyes lock onto him and simply stare. A chill ran down his spine. His eyes darted to the door then back to Misako.

The clone sighed.

Kaji gave a weak smile. Misako might be weaker than Mikki, but she was still an Ayanami. And this time he had no satchel charge, no Azazel support team. "Fine, I do have some... questions."

Misako rolled her fingers in a "hurry up" gesture.

Now Kaji was silent as he looked to Makoto.

"I can go out and get some coffee," Makoto offered.

"No need," Misako held up her hand. "This shouldn't take long."

"If you insist," Kaji's grin returned. "I'll just note that there seems to be more than a few similarities between the results of this 'Ninth Project' and some work being done right here."

Misako nodded slightly.

"The AT fields are obvious, but you and your sisters. I mean this is all a bit on the nose," Kaji leaned forward and his voice dropped to a whisper. "And you're a lot older than fourteen Miss Ayanami."

"Captain," Misako automatically corrected. She then began to laugh.

"Huh," Kaji slowly said.

"Um, Inspector, are you going to get to the great secret?" Makoto gingerly asked. "As interesting as this background information is, we're well aware of it. We do work here, and the Captain's best friend is the head of Project E."

"Yes, very convenient, no?" Kaji asked, his tone gaining an edge. "I bet she was friends with both Doctor Akagis."

"Hardly," Misako snorted. "Naoko was a crazy old hag."

"Huh." Kaji's eyebrow rose.

"Is that all?" Misako tapped her fingers against her armrest.

"Fine. The same people that funded the Ninth Project bankrolled the Katsuragi Expedition."

Misako blinked. She straightened her back and continued to tap the armrest. She nodded once, then nodded a second time. "Ah."

"Did you know that?" Kaji asked, his smugness returning.

"First the Second Impact, now the Little Impact, yes, I can see the same type of reckless ambition behind both." Misako flexed her hand. "I'm guessing they were behind other... projects too?"

"You would not be wrong," Kaji admitted.

"Why tell us? Why not your superiors?"

"You mean Ikari?" Kaji asked.

"Among others." Misako gave a tight smile. "You being here, you letting the good Lieutenant stay here implies you want Nerv Tactical." She turned to her keyboard and opened another video window. "What's your goal? Paranoia? Distrust? Maybe a global conspiracy of some type of Scientific Authority?"

"You can't deny that science has become unmoored. We can blame the Second Impact for opening a Pandora's Box, for starting a mad science arms race. But we know that to be a lie. You of all people know that Nerv, or at least its predecessors were dabbling in weaponizing Angels, before the Impact."

Makoto snorted but held his tongue. He looked over to Misako and saw her nod slightly. The Inspector was in the dark. Misako Ayanami was created after the Second Impact, and if Makoto was right far after the Impact. However, that bit of information was something Special Inspector Kaji was not aware of, and it colored his conclusions.

"Not just Nerv, Lieutenant," Kaji shook his head. "Competitors too. That's my worry. The Katsuragi Expedition must not have been the first. Maybe it was the first to Antarctica, but there were others."

"So this 'Scientific Authority' was preparing for the Angel War before it started? Or did they start it themselves?"

"That's the thing, they did." Kaji laughed. "Accidently. Even after all this destruction you're missing the truth about this war."

"It's a distraction?" Misako ventured.

Kaji briefly frowned.

"You're painting the picture of a cabal of sinister scientist dabbling in eldritch forces they cannot hope to understand or control. It stands to reason that the war, or at least defeating the Angels, in and of itself is not their primary goal." Misako leveled her crimson gaze at the spook. "What is your goal? You stood before an Angel, you conned her, you shot her, you sprung the trap on her. Why?"

"Why didn't I cut a deal with a mass murdering monster bent on humanity's destruction?"

"That specific one? Yes." Languidly smiling, Misako turned to lean back.

"I suppose I earned that," Kaji forced himself to laugh. He wondered how much she knew, or thought she knew. Or if she was simply casting out shiny lures and seeing what bit.

"My question still stands."

"It wasn't a good deal. Thanks to your prisoner, I know how she treats her family. Do you think a mere human would fare better?"

"She seemed fond of you."

"That doesn't mean much." Kaji's easy smile returned.

Misako rolled her eyes.

"No, what I mean is that she played that game with everyone. Take her old boss Nanashi Gombe."

"Section Two is still discovering how much she had learned."

"She was a personal secretary to the head of Gombe Heavy Construction. She knew everything." Kaji chucked. "Even great men, especially great men, are weak to the flesh. Given your experience, wouldn't you say so Captain?"

Misako narrowed her eyes.

"What I find interesting was her choice of targets. That she chose to infiltrate GHC and not something like an armaments company." Kaji leaned back and put his finger to his lips and paused. "There's lots of defense contractors that supply the Evangelions. Even the Azazel has to outsource much of their engineering capability to Russian firms."

Misako shrugged. "You ignore the effect of Iry. Before her defection, she gave Mikki a steady stream of data on our research and capabilities."

"But Mikki's been in place before all that," Kaji's frown deepened.

"Yes, we checked her employment records. What's your point?"

"My point is how a young... woman with no experience and no real record waltzes in and becomes a personal secretary of a man behind the construction of most of the Nerv facilities on this side of the pacific."

Watching the man's anxious eyes, Misako sighed. "Don't give me that. You have an idea. You've got an explanation as to how she escaped and how she came to work for Gombe."

Makoto nodded. "All an inside job then? Gombe's part of the 'Scientific Authority'. His company built research facilities for one secret organization. Why not another?"

Misako nodded approvingly.

A flash of jealousy passed over Kaji's face. "Right. That's what I'm thinking. Nerv hasn't been penetrated because it didn't need to be. Or we hope so. My guess is that Gombe's bosses, Mikki's bosses, didn't know their little project had gone off the reservation."

"They didn't know their pet Angel was plotting with the wild Angels?" Misako scoffed. "Would they be so arrogant?"

"Would Ikari?"

The clone chuckled.

"Uh?" Kaji reconsidered his decision to talk Misako before Ritsuko.

"The man's paranoia eclipses his arrogance," Makoto explained.

"That," Misako gave another little laugh. "I'm also wondering when you'll stop beating around the bush and just come out with it."

"Oh?" Kaji asked his smile returning as the ground became more familiar.

"You say there's a secret cabal, this 'Scientific Authority' to use something that's clearly not this organization's real name. You state that their botched experiments are behind this whole war," Misako turned back to the wall of displays.

"So you know what I'm after?" Kaji asked.

"You've only got one real option, that is if you haven't cut a deal with mass murdering monsters bent on humanity's destruction."

"That's the thing, those monsters as you call it, don't think they're destroying humanity. They think they're doing us a favor, they think they're saving us."

"By killing well over a billion people?"

"What's a few lives here and there between the greater good. Human history is littered with 'great men' that try great things without caring about the cost.

"They only see the greater purpose. The only thing new is the scale. This group's arrogance eclipses all others. They see humanity's greater purpose." Kaji looked down and rubbed his hands. "These are people that after the Katsuragi Expedition picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and tried again, and again. The Ninth Project, The Dummy Plug System, Contact Experiments, the Failed Project E prototypes, Doctor Soryu, Doctor Yui Ikari, Doctor Katsuragi, Doctor Naoko Akagi."

Eyes shining Misako inclined her head. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"He did help expose the infiltrator," Makoto pointed out.

"Well..." Kaji put his hands down on his knees and looked up. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told one other half-Angel hybrid. Maybe you'll take my words to heart. She didn't."

Kaji exhaled. "Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. A year from now, fourteen, right now? They believe that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that."

Her lips pulling back in a toothy grin, Misako leaned forward nearly touching her nose to Kaji's. "Now what? You've wrecked their plans, exposed one of their agents, and put the enemy into disarray. What next?

Kaji gave a cocky smirk. "No more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."

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A buzzer went off. Shinju lifted her rifle and leaned to one side. The instant her sight picture cleared the stacked barrels in front of her she pulled the trigger. The steel plate ten meters down range clanged, and she ran forward. Coming to the next stack of barrels, she knelt down, popped out the stubby magazine of her cut-down PSL and rocked a fresh one in.

Behind her she heard Toji take two shots on his rifle. "Advancing!" he shouted as the metal rang. He wore a horizontal stripped sky blue and white long sleeve shirt, combat pants, heavy boots, shooting glasses with orange lenses, earplugs, and a large khaki and dark green bandana tied over his hair. On his belt was a holster with his sidearm and several ammo pouches. A large tan bag was slung over one shoulder and buckled across his waist so that it rode on his left hip.

"Covering," Shinju replied taking another group of paired of shots. She was dressed similarly to Toji though she wore her bandana folded over, as a headband to keep her hair out of her face, and her eye protection had lenses of a different shade.

Catching sight of Toji making it to his position at the set of barrels just to Shinju's left, she stopped firing. He popped the partially spent magazine out of his Kalashnikov, dumped it into the front portion of his side pouch, grabbed a fresh one and rocked it into place.

As that happened, with the second plate still ringing, Shinju kicked her legs out from under her, went down to her stomach, and rolled to the other side of the barrel. She took a split second to adjust her head so she could get a clear view along the tilted gun's sights and scored two more hits.

Slightly slower, the Fifth Child mirrored her motions, and actually managed to stand up first.

Frowning, Shinju pulled back to her feet, and keeping her weapon at the low ready, sprinted forward and to the left. Coming up to a rather wobbly wall and door-frame, she took a second to nod to Toji who was pressed against the wall on the opposite side of the door. She took her left hand off the forward grip and held up one finger.

Toji nodded, as he turned his body to be more in line with the direction his rifle was pointed. Standing on the right side of the door he then shifted the butt of his rifle from his right shoulder to his left. When both Pilots leaned forward they did so with minimal exposure.

In front of Shinju was a jumbled mass of silhouette targets. Some were white others were orange. Shinju concentrated on the targets in front of her and to the left, and put two shots in the chest and one in the head of each orange target she could see.

Then she and Toji stepped through the doorway each held close to the door frame on their side and quickly but methodically scanned the rest of the room checking it out a bit at a time. As she cleared the room, Toji was doing the the mirror image of her maneuvers.

She kept scanning the room until another buzzer went off. Then she automatically swapped magazines and safed the weapon before shouldering it. She looked over to see Igor lumbering over to them with Lieutenant Flyorov, the head of Toji's guard at his heel.

Holding a bulky little electronic device, the former Red Army hockey player glanced at the electronic timer and shook his head with a bemused smile.

"How'd we do?" Toji asked, breathing heavily. He frowned at his gaggle of targets. The wooden frame to one of the white targets had been grazed by a bullet that had then gone on to hit the ten ring of the orange silhouette just behind it. He gave a little sigh.

"Time was good, sisters are still faster," Lev Flyorov said as he followed Toji's gaze.

Igor laughed. "Bah, not bad damage. No worries."

"I think I was going a bit too fast," Toji rolled his shoulder. Shooting from the left was not his preferred position, but there was no time to transfer back.

"No misses on this run," Lev offered.

"Yeah."

Shinju stepped up and slapped Toji on the shoulder, the left one. "Most adequate!"

"Thanks." Smiling Toji shook his head. He exhaled stepped out of the makeshift shoot-house.

Lifting up her purple-lensed shooting glasses, Shinju rubbed her eyes and noting she was alone, adjusted her gloves, and ran out to catch up with Toji.

Picking up a steel plate, Igor nodded at the young girl. "Time for water break, then."

Shinju pouted, but followed Lev and Toji back to a metal picnic table at the far end of the grassy range. Rei sat at the table full of ammunition, magazines, gun cases, and other parts. A cooler sat under the table in the shade.

"I'm up next?" Rei asked as she put down the magazine she was loading and picked up her red shooting glasses.

"In a sec." Toji opened the cooler and tossed a water bottle to Shinju before getting one for himself. He then braced his rifle in the stand and sat at the table. Pulling his bandana off he wiped as some of the sweat on his face.

Also taking a seat, Shinju sipped her water slowly but steadily. "I think they'll sit me out so you can go," she told her sister.

Rei nodded.

"Hey, if you wanna keep at it, that's fine by me," Toji wiped his brow. "And to think I laughed when Kensuke said shooting was a real sport."

"You knew he wasn't speaking from experience." Shinju said, her voice raising and her cheeks heating up

"Yeah, it's different when you're the one doing it." Toji looked to the Azazel guards and gave a half hearted shrug. "Not like he'd get the chance... short of joining Nerv or the JSF."

"You could always invite him," Rei suggested as she opened another ammunition case.

"Yeah, Shirane and Nozomi have had lots of fun at the range."

"Tell me about it, Shirane wouldn't stop talking about it." Toji sighed. "Or mocking my times."

"But you're getting better!" Shinju cheered.

Smiling slightly, Toji took a sip and sat down to rest. He played with his ear protection and removed the plugs.

Back down range, Lev was checking the metal targets for any damage before using a can of black spray-paint to freshen them up. He then went into the shoot-house and started moving targets and their stands. Rearranging the layout of shoot and no-shoot targets gave the drill more complexity and made the Pilots think a bit more.

He put one of the stands down and looked back at the picnic table. The three Pilots seemed to be engaged with each other. The Azazel officer's gaze went further out as he took in the cordon secured by squads from both his and Igor's platoons as well as the elements from the headquarters platoon that guarded the apartment complex itself.

The best trained, led, and motivated that the Russian Federation had to offer all equipped with whatever they could ask for in small and heavy arms. A formidable mix of machine guns, rockets, mortars, with integral armor, helicopter, and even fighter jet support. And it was all to protect...

Turning his attention to the two pale sisters, Lev nodded. The true purpose of the Azazel and Nerv agreement was obvious, and had been for some time. Nerv provided security for Azazel's airfields and naval facilities, and Azazel's... Naval Infantry watched Nerv's weapons of mass destruction.

Lev blinked and turned to see that Igor was moving to stand next to him. The giant man pulled out a finger and mimed firing a pistol at the smaller man. "You are distracted," he stated in Russian, his smooth use of the language meshing with his deep rumbling voice.

"Did you know?" Lev once again glanced to the picnic table.

"The Fourth? It's obvious, no?"

Lev held his tongue. "Is that an answer?"

Igor held his hands behind his back and lifted his chin slightly. "Both Warrant Ayanamis are young women of extreme will and dedication. You could question Nerv's luck in having such a family."

"Like they have Nigokiko?"

Igor gave a belly laugh then resumed a serene contemplative look. "Even earlier. Look at Warrant Langley's parents. How her mother picked the father."

"It was artificial insemination. But the Ayanami..." Lev frowned.

Igor nodded. "Matryoshka is not ours alone. Tactically incompetent and wasteful Nerv may be, but they do know to build layers of secrecy."

"That's what they focused on then?" Lev laughed. Matryoshka nesting dolls were a handy analogy for the practice of using multiple cover stories, cut outs, and diversions to mislead your enemies concealing your true intentions and capabilities.

Igor grinned, his big, square teeth gleaming.

"Which raises a disturbing question. Nerv revealed much to try to kill that... Angel yesterday, but I doubt they revealed everything, which means..."

"What is the next secret behind what the Ayanami are?" Igor nodded. "Is a puzzle." His contemplative look returned. "At least you have the easy task."

"He detonated a nuclear device and wiped out three towns. He's lucky he wasn't forced to pull the trigger over a city."

"The Princess would not care." Igor rolled his shoulders. "His humanity is a problem then? You should be able to handle him," the large man added flatly.

Lev exhaled at the implication. He knew the countermeasures; he also knew that in such an event his job would be the simplest. "Yes. I can. He's green, more experience will help, and he's not quitting. I'll give the Fifth that."

"He has ample reason to be motivated. You know that."

"I know, we've talked about it. He distrusts Nerv, understandable given how he was recruited."

Igor's contemplative smile returned. "Gives you a unique position."

Both officers' radios chirped and Lev answered. "Katrina? Oh good."

Listening in, Igor nodded. "Dah. Good, we're having a break, she can come right up."

"Good, now we can run two teams," Lev said, returning to checking the targets.

"Or maybe one team of four," Igor looked back to the picnic table with a bright toothy smile.

At the table, Toji leaned back and pulled off his safety glasses.

Shinju watched the taller teen rub his eyes. "You're not tired are you?"

"Nah, just..." Toji blinked and slipped the grey glasses back on. "I'm fine. Glad there wasn't school today."

Shinju frowned. "Kensuke?"

"You weren't too eager to talk to your friends either," Toji noted.

The clone's frown deepened slightly. She blinked, the sun catching her eyes. Shinju looked up and back to the range's entrance.

"It's okay, we've just gotta do what we gotta do." Toji bent down and fished another bottle of water out of the cooler.

"Brave words rookie," Kiko's voice taunted as she strode to the table, her heels crunching on the gravel. "It's not the best war cry but it is less creepy than Princess's."

Looking over the gynoid, Shinju pouted. Kiko looked much the same save for a fresh polish on her armor and half a dozen strips of appliqué armor. Glossy red, the vertical strips that ran up her hips to her torso and were interlocked into the rest of her armor giving her a more flared and structured look. A horizontal band went around her waist and had mounting points for her holster, magazine carriers, and other equipment pouches. Her rifle was slung to her side on a 3 point harness that went over her chest.

Shinju's pout vanished and she jumped over the side of the table and wrapped her arms around the gynoid. "Red! You're better!"

"No thanks to my father's incompetence." Sighing, Kiko returned the hug, and followed Shinju back to the table. She unclipped her rifle and put the heavy, if compact, weapon on the rack next to the pilot's other weapons.

At her heel, Katrina approached, dropped off a large red range bag, and then walked off to talk with the other Azazel officers.

"What'd he do?" Shinju asked.

"Cut corners, parts of me got broken. Lazy scientists," Kiko sat down and the table creaked under her weight. The gynoid made a point not to notice. "Course it could have been worse, and it'll probably get worse."

"Ouch," Toji winced.

Shinju sat back down and started rooting around a large purple range bag, pulled out some more ammunition boxes.

"Eh, it's not like it really hurt." Kiko flexed her fingers. She looked down, blinked then pulled open her bag and started silently pulling out ammunition and magazines. Her .50 BMB cartridges vastly over shadowed Shinju's battle rifle grade 54R rounds and utterly dwarfed the 7.63X39 intermediate rifle cartridges Rei and Toji were using.

"Ah, going to need double protection then," Toji noted as he took a fresh pair of earplugs out of his bag and a pair of ear muff style sound dampeners to wear over the first pair.

Shinju made a similar gesture, pulling out the same electronic active hearing protectors she wore yesterday.

"How're your ears?" Kiko asked, noting Shinju's careful expression.

"Fine." Shinju stared out and gave her head a tiny shake. "What about you?"

"I don't have ears, I've got a pair of antennae ," Kiko flatly stated.

"I doubt that's what she asked," Rei stated as she thumbed a few more cartridges into a new magazine.

Kiko rolled her eyes. "Oh just great. I told you I'm fine."

Shinju tilted her head.

"Fine. I'm sore. You have any idea what it's like to wake up after they've done surgery to your battery brackets? You know the cramps that come with your period?"

The young clone blushed.

"You haven't had yours yet?" Kiko smirked and turned to Rei. "What about you Wondergirl?"

Rei's eyebrow went up fractionally and she dropped a freshly filled magazine into the pile. She then grabbed her rifle, sung it over her shoulder, slipped some magazines into her harness, and stood up

Coughing, Toji made it a point to look at his own magazines.

"What'?" Kiko asked. "Fourteen's late but not unheard of, or is it the... other thing."

Shinju looked slightly hurt but more confused.

"Forget it. I'm..." Kiko flexed her hands again. "I'm okay. I could have been better. Stupid body; stupid Angel."

"You fought well." Shinju raised her head.

"Oh, better than adequate? Thanks." Kiko snorted, but gave a slight smile.

"You were right with me. You stood up to her AT field."

"And I couldn't kill her. You gutted her, I blew her apart. I... it wasn't enough." Kiko pushed the last .50 BMG cartridge into the second magazine and set it down with a heavy clunk.

"What about me?" Toji asked "I wasn't good enough to kill her either."

Kiko ran a finger down the feed lips of her magazine and let her hand slowly fall onto the wooden table. "You were willing to nuke her, Rookie. That's almost impressive."

"I missed."

"Yeah at what fifteen kilometers away? I was in the same damn room as her." Kiko slowly made a fist.

"You fought well," Shinju repeated.

Kiko blinked. "Look Princess, it's different for me. You did everything you could; I- I could have done more. I was broken inside. I... can fix that."

The clone stared. After a slight paused she nodded.

Looking between the two Toji boggled. "What? You can't buy that. What sort of nonsense is that?"

"This is Princess we're talking about. She's a crazy little gothic princess that can gut you like a pig without getting any blood on her pretty petticoats and lace." Tilting her head, Kiko tapped the table. "This is a girl that uses 'Open your Heart' as a literal battle cry."

"I've only got the two dresses like that," Shinju pouted.

"Fine, but what do you mean about being all broken inside? Yeah., I can see the emotional strain-"

Kiko sighed. "No, Rookie. I mean literally."

Toji winced. "Oh. I know you were being repaired, but that was just your knee right?"

"No. I wasn't kidding when I said they were working on my insides." Kiko forced a laugh.

"You did your best," Shinju stated.

"And what if I'm not good enough?" Kiko demanded.

"Then we're wiped out by the Angels, if the nuclear fires don't kill us first," Toji stated.

"My, cynicism suits you Rookie," Kiko teased.

Toji looked between the clone and the gynoid. He then turned around to see Rei in the distance talking with Igor. "I think we're all having some self confidence issues."

"Really Rookie? Do you really think this pretty little Princess would want to be anything other than what she is? Can you see her as anything else? Well... maybe not a vegetarian. But still-" Kiko's protest was cut off when she saw Shinju wilt slightly.

Shinju tried to give a little smile.

"So... what? Shinju's already doing all she can?" Toji hesitantly asked.

"Oh Rookie." Kiko then eyed Shinju. "If you could do more to kill the Angels would you?"

Shinju's grin grew.

"And I need it. Yesterday could have gone a lot worse. I almost fell apart out there. I need, I hate to say it, but I need upgrades."

Toji put his chin in hand and nodded. "I see, I see. You're jealous of a scary little girl so you're letting your mad scientist of a father work you over to make you into some sorta combat droid. Red, that's a _real_ good plan."

"Sarcasm too?" Kiko glared before her expression softened. "Damn, Rookie, you've been spending too much time with Wondergirl."

Toji glanced back down range and watched Rei for a couple seconds. She was talking with Igor and Katrina. "Yeah probably. Hanging out with you girls all the time's bound to affect me."

"Really? You do know that being a creepy abomination of science isn't something you can just pick up right?"

Shinju coughed.

Kiko rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. I'm not sure Rookie'd want to end up like me."

"It might beat the alternative," Shinju quietly said.

Toji eyed the gynoid. "Uh, yeah..."

Katrina approached the table. The solid German blonde nodded to Toji. "Come, you're up."

"Yeah, yeah," Toji said as he put his earplugs in. He then he pulled his bandana back on and knotted it over his head, slipped his ear muffs over that. He grabbed his rifle, took his safety glasses, and slung his magazine carrier over a shoulder.

Kiko looked the Fifth Child over and gave a low whistle. "Careful there, Rookie, someone might mistake you for a real soldier like that," she then said, raising her voice so he could hear.

Toji shook his head and ran off down range to catch up with Rei.

Both Shinju and Kiko silently watched their two teammates go through a shooting drill and providing cover for each other as they got closer to their targets before switching off and doing a room clearing drill. Kiko noted that Shinju had discretely slipped her ear plugs back in.

"You're being nicer to him," Shinju noted.

"Eh, he didn't crack up."

"He didn't run away," Shinju said, a bit wistfully.

"Heh! Princess has a crush?" Kiko's red, shiny lips pulled back into a grin.

Shinju blushed. "No... it's just nice that he... that he won't run away."

Kiko looked down range then down at the little clone. "You've got some issues Princess doncha?"

Pushing a few bangs out from her face and raising her head, Shinju gave Kiko a long-suffering look. She reached into a pocket on her web-harness and pulled out a lavender pill bottle and with a slight shake gave a loud rattle.

"Yeah well at least you can take 'em orally," Kiko rolled her shoulders feeling where her spinal column had been modified to accept a pharmacological plug.

"What about you?"

"Hmm?"

"You were talking about your father, and said that things could get worse."

"Oh that, just some upgrades." Kiko gave a nervous laugh.

Shinju took Kiko's delicately armored hand. She was still surprised that it felt warm.

Kiko watched the heart monitor on her heads up display spike before normalizing. "I was a... rush project. My father just wanted to prove I could work. Prove I could Synchronize. If- if I go under again, he'll be able to try again. Build something that can fight, that won't break down, someone who won't have her batteries break loose."

"You don't-"

"The hell I don't!" Kiko glared rolling her hand over and squeezing Shinju's. "You didn't get a choice. You were built to be a little war Princess. But I know this, if Doc Akagi gave you a choice, normal human or Nerv's scary Princess, you would have jumped right up on the table."

Shinju swallowed.

Kiko leaned down and pressed her nose to Shinju's. "The giant bear-man that follows you around is right. You are a killer. It's for the best the people that made you ensured you were properly trained."

"You're forgetting how bad Nerv was... before." Shinju ran one hand over the other.

"I am?" Kiko's voice rose. "I recall your sister executing Second Branch's senior officers." The gynoid hyperventilated.

"You have to hand it to Nerv. They managed to find and hire the few corrupt, incompetent, and lazy **Germans**. While I was being paraded around as some wunderkind you were... Huh." She rolled a shoulder and calmed. "What _were_ you doing? I mean you were being kept as a backup, but where? Some training facility?"

Shinju shook her head. "No, I was raised with a foster family. People the Commander would trust."

"He trusts people?" Kiko snorted. "So, you were being raised as a normal little girl?"

Shinju blushed.

"What about your sisters?"

"I didn't see them much." Shinju put her hands on the table. "Do we have to talk about this?"

Kiko turned and studied the younger girl's face. Her pupils were dilated and her skin was starting to pink, but her eyes were not glowing. "Did something happen?"

"No." Shinju's voice wavered. "I had a perfectly normal childhood."

"Or as normal as a clone built for war could have." Kiko licked her lip "What was it like when... when you found out you could be a Pilot, when you found out about Evangelion?"

"What was it like for you?" Shinju asked.

The memory of a darkened room with two hanging figures one tiny, one large filled Kiko's mind as she went stone still. The hum of the room's vents, the creak of chords, and the sharp smell of urine dominated her memory. In the corner of her heads up display, an icon flashed red before turning into a blue circle.

Her shoulders and neck rocked as she jolted into motion. Shaking her head, Kiko's focus returned to Shinju. The icon turned back to a green diamond. "Sorry about that, Princess. I –um- I guess I'm not the only one that had a bad childhood."

Scooting down the table's bench, Shinju twisted and spread her arms to encircle Kiko just below the shoulders.

Smiling, Kiko reached out and put her hand on Shinju's back and returned the hug. "Thanks."

"At least you're confident about your upgrade."

Kiko laughed. "Sarcastic too?"

Shinju gave a bashful smirk.

"Yeah, but it's okay. You wouldn't understand."

Tilting her head, Shinju looked up at Kiko.

"You didn't have a choice. Hell, it's not like you were human and then made something else."

Shinju frowned.

"Not going to claim you're human?"

"Yesterday, I had a car thrown at me and blocked it with my mind."

"Yeah, that's the thing. You were always this scary little girl. I was forced to be this robot but now-" Kiko made a fist with her free hand. "Now I have to ask my father to make me into even more of one."

Shinju released the hug. "More of a robot?" she asked poking Kiko in the shoulder pylon.

"Ha."

"So, what upgrades do you want?" Shinju brightly asked.

"You make it sound like I'm picking out of a brochure."

Shinju smiled.

The gynoid made a face. "Ugh. Don't give them ideas. Fine. Mostly I want don't want to fall apart in a fight. My Father complains that it would add too much weight, but it's not like I'm that heavy."

The clone picked up a magazine and resumed loading cartridges.

"Oh come on!" Kiko pounded the table. "I'm mostly meat you know. And I don't have that much armor and metal in me."

After putting the last round in the magazine, Shinju put her finger against it feeling the spring flex against the stack of cartridges.

"And it's not like that meat's all that heavy."

"Right, your body and all." Shinju delicately nodded.

Kiko shook her finger. "First off, it's not 'my body' is it now? You wanna know how much of 'me' is in here?" she bumped the back of her palm against her chest armor. "Second that's my point, Eva, human, meat's meat. The density doesn't change that much. I'm not that heavy. Period."

Shinju nodded.

"And before you get started, yes, I know what my heels do to soft floors. That's normal. You should know what it's like to wear high heels."

The clone's nodding cut off and she shrugged.

"Really? The Princess doesn't know how to wear high heels?" Kiko snorted.

"I have a pair," Shinju pouted. "I just don't wear them that much."

"Just one?" Kiko skeptically asked.

Shinju slowly nodded. "But is that all you want? Couldn't you get some other changes?"

"Like what?" Kiko's choker flashed yellow. "Chest missiles, then? Or maybe a Gatling gun. Maybe replace an arm with some kind of laser canon? Yes why not?" she angrily spat. "I'm already abandoning everything I was, why not give up any pretense that I'm anything other than a weapons system!"

Frowning Shinju raised her head to meet Kiko's orange gaze. "No. I was asking the opposite."

Kiko stared. Her form going nearly stone-still. "Huh?"

"You'll be going in for upgrades? Why not... try to go back a bit? More natural skin. Maybe some hair?"

Kiko turned away. "You can't go back... I can't go back. You may be able to play at being a human, but don't think that you can actually pass. Everyone knows what you really are. Even if they're not in on the big secret."

Shinju's eyes widened. "They do?"

"It's pretty obvious, on an instinctual level." Kiko leaned in and smiled. "You're a fake. People just know. I mean the pale skin, blue hair, and blood-red eyes are kin hint, but even without them you're all a bit… off." The gynoid laughed. "In what world would you pass as normal? I suppose we're sisters like that."

Shinju nervously laughed. "But that makes it sound like they'd know the full secret."

Kiko rolled her eyes. "Oh they might not guess half Angel hybrid clone, but they'd know something is up. Creepy sisters that can all Pilot, and Nerv's obvious history as a genetic research facility? I mean red eyes, albino skin; you three practically scream lab-rat."

Nodding slowly, Shinju looked downrange. Her sister and Toji had finished shooting and were talking with the Azazel officers. Toji had slung his rifle over his shoulder and was wiping under his chin with the tails of his bandana. Shinju started putting full magazines into the pouches on her harness.

"At least you have some secrets," Kiko said, putting an arm around Shinju's shoulder. "It's not like Nerv held a giant banquet to announce your creation."

Shinju paused and as she watched their teammates walk back to the table thought for a while. "No, not really." She returned the gesture, though her arm went around Kiko's torso at a much lower position.

Kiko's eyes widened. "Uh... thanks?"

Blushing Shinju moved her hand off Kiko's hip.

"Well, I'm glad you appreciate it, but..." Kiko's choker flashed purple for a split second. "But we're up."

Shinju pulled back her arm and looked at her gloved hand. "Don't... um..."

"You're trying to cheer me up? Tell me I'm pretty?"

The clone nodded.

"Hah! Don't you think I know that? Geeze, sometimes I think being a pretty robot's worse."

"See! You still think that."

"Encouraging my ego?" As she stood up, Kiko raised an eyebrow. "Whatever, Princess."

Giving a little smile, Shinju rose and picked up her rifle, automatically pulling back the bolt to check the chamber.

"Ayanamis," Kiko muttered, shaking her head.

Rei and Toji had returned to the table. Both breathing a bit heavily. Wordlessly, Toji unslung his rifle and handed it to Rei. As she checked and stowed his weapon then hers, he opened the cooler and pulled out a pair of bottles.

After handing one to Rei, he held the other to his forehead for a few seconds. "You two. Up." He then took a swig of water.

"Wow, Rookie? I hadn't figured that out. You know with a tactical eye like that you're going places," Kiko stated with false eagerness.

Toji slumped down onto the bench. Sipping water, he eyed Kiko. "Well, I'm not quite up to your level of adequacy, but I try my best." He exhaled. "I'll manage."

Rei looked on almost approvingly. She then nodded to Shinju and took a seat across from Toji.

Kiko snorted. "Yeah, I'm adequate, Rookie."

"You sure?" Toji asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm managing." She looked over her shoulder. "Come on Princess, we've got Wondergirl's and Rookie's scores to beat."

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Alone in the darkened room, Gendo folded his hands and waited. After a brief period, he rotated his wrist to spare a quick glance at the time. After several moments, the projectors kicked on. To his right was the strong-chinned British representative. Both the man and his small desk were bathed in red light. To that man's right was the bushy mustachioed American representative, himself in green.

Glancing to his left, Gendo concealed his surprise. The long empty blue seat was once more occupied, but instead of the bearish hawk-nosed Russian member of the Human Instrumentality Committee, a large Japanese business man sat. The newcomer gave a glassy smile that did not reach his haunted eyes.

Commander Ikari's eyes went past the misleadingly meek French representative in yellow to the nominal German representative sitting opposite from Gendo, at the head of the collection of projections. Chairman Keel, the only one being projected in full color.

"I did not realize that Seele 08 has taken a permanent seat on this council. I take it the Council has accepted Mr. Lvov's... resignation."

Keel lowered his head as if trying to glare behind his visor. "With the Russia Representative unable to fulfill his duties, the council has decided to adopt substitution members on a rotating basis."

"I see," Gendo spared the nominal Japanese representative another glance.

The man known as Nanashi Gombe, the head of Gombe Heavy Construction, seemed to shrink back before nodding and haltingly straightening his posture.

"Are we to discuss yesterday's battle or the American's impending weapons test?" Gendo asked turning his gaze to the American representative. Once again he was glad for the teleconferencing, the obvious stink of fear coming from Gombe would be distracting.

"The last thing we need is another competitor to the Evangelion!" the green man blurted out, his mustache bristling as he curled his upper lip.

"Enough," Keel hissed. "Jarngreipr is just another toy. And if yesterday has shown us anything, it is that Nerv can use such toys to our _advantage_," the Chairman's voice chilled on the last word as his attention focused solely on Gendo.

The American's eyes narrowed as he straightened his glasses, but the man soon bowed his head.

Ikari raised his hands at the elbows. "I accept full responsibility for the target's escape. However-" Gendo placed his chin behind his interlaced fingers.. "I also accept full responsibility on exposing the Ninth Project's gross breach of quarantine."

"That is an internal matter," Keel stated.

"It certainly is. A Seele experiment escaping the lab to become personal secretary of a councilmember?" Gendo spared a thin, emotionless, grin to Gombe. "If I had known your tastes went such ways, Nanashi I could have arranged something far less risky."

Both the Brit and the Frenchman looked disgusted while the American representative grew outraged.

"Why so shocked?" Gendo asked. "You know what the Human Evolutionary Lab was building. You know that experiments are supposed to be repeatable. Perhaps you're more shocked that one of you decided to keep a hybrid for his own?" Gendo lowered his arms and pressed his hands palm-down onto his table. "Or perhaps you were tricked. Gombe, when you were busy playing tycoon did you realize that you were making yourself a prime target for enemy agents? Or were you complicit? I had Section 2 raid your office you know. Everything was swept clean."

Gombe looked down, he then shifted his back and twisted to stare behind himself before slowly returning to face forward.

Gendo stood. "Which is it! Incompetence or perversion or treason?"

"That is enough Ikari!" Keel shouted. "This Council is not Nerv. You cannot bully us around, like disobedient little soldiers."

For a moment Gendo considered his past suggestion of simply air dropping the Fourth on Lorenz's residence. Kozo felt it was too direct of a measure, but more often Gendo was beginning to feel that direct was the more palatable choice.

"We have investigated Seele 08."

"And the conclusion?"

"Incompetence. I'm disappointed to say," a female voice said cutting into the conference.

The representatives began to chatter at the interruption, save for Gendo and Keel. The noise increased as a slim figure with smooth hair and thin glasses stepped into projector range. Colored in shades of blue just like Gombe, she wore a skirt, blouse and coat that marked her as die-cut, nearly ubiquitous office-lady.

Hearing her approach, Gombe spun around. "How?"

Mikki pushed back one of her bangs, straightening her center parted hair. "Please, I know where all of your little bolt-holes are. Who do you think brought you the paperwork to sign off their funding and for the newer ones, their construction?"

Gombe tried to dart to the side; Mikki gave a little sigh and raised her hand. The air shimmered and the two blue tinted figures froze for a moment. Then the large man's neck wrenched as the top of his head sheared off in a fan of blood turned blue by the projection.

Gasping, he fell to the table and began to scream Tilting her head, Mikki stepped forward, grabbed his neck and twisted. There was a crackling snap as his body went limp and she shoved it to the side and took the seat.

Mikki clasped her hands and put them before her and smiled. "The Human Instrumentality Committee. Nations tremble at your feet. The secret kings of the world." She flicked some blood off her hand.

The committee stared in disbelief. Keel Lorenz worked his jaw. " Kaworu."

"No."

Gendo began to draw out his cell phone.

Mikki looked to her right and sighed. "It seems one of you has some sense."

Looking up, Gendo continued to dial.

"As I'm sure ICBMs will soon be inbound, I'll have to be brief," Mikki leaned forward. Her eyes went from each of the members of the Human Instrumentality Committee before settling on Chairman Keel Lorenz.

A predatory grin formed she leaned back. "Well, secret kings. Do you still think you can guide humanity's evolution? That the world will bend to your will?" She pressed the tip of her finger into a small splash of blood on the top of her desk.

The British representative met her gaze, glared then looked away. The Frenchman held his fingers under his nose and looked contemplative.

Keel made a fist. "You!"

"Fascinating. I kill millions in one day, including four members of Seele but I personally snap the neck of the head of one little _Zaibatsu... _

_"Was it seeing the blood, yourself dear Chairman? Who would have thought you, of all people, would be squeamish?" Mikki chuckled. Her eyes went to Ikari. "I suppose it's for the best that you can't actually smell him."_

"Kozo we have a Code Tabgha. Correct, she hit Gombe... yes. Check site Bethany first. Then site Able. Faster would be better" Gendo allowed a tiny smile. "Yes, I'll pay you back. Yes, please do."

Gendo put the phone down and met her expectant gaze. "You were correct. Be brief."

"Bravo. There's the hard-nosed theatrics I've come to expect from the head of Nerv." Mikki lightly clapped her hands. "Not like these back-stabbing, back-dealing bureaucrats." She then waved her hand over the rest of the committee, letting it land between the American and the Englishman.

Gendo suppressed a smile. Gloating would ruin the role he was to play.

"Gentlemen, I come to tell you that there is no hope. You can scurry and pretend, but don't think you are secure in your halls of power, in your hidden fortresses." Mikki rolled her finger along the top of the desk, idly drawing an intricate swirling symbol in blood. "Remember, that someone has to build your bunkers, someone has to pay workers. Someone has to do all the paperwork. Your secret places are not secret."

"And you dare come here to threaten and demand us. What do you expect?" the French representative asked.

"I expect to get the entity you've laughably called Adam, and ensure that your goals never occur. You do not deserve Instrumentality. Your species will wither, this planet will be cleansed and-"

"Enough," Gendo stated. He pushed his glassed back up his nose. "You ignorance is showing, Miss Nagisa."

Mikki glared.

"You are not special. Humanity's killed millions for gold, for land, for God, for sport, for meat, to make pyramids of skulls. Humanity has done this and more all before discovering gunpowder. You want death; death and land. Death for the impure; land for your kind."

Gendo rested his chin back behind his hands and gave a ghost of a smile. "Now you've got to understand, that doesn't make you special. You're not an out of context problem."

Mikki pulled back and forced the annoyed surprise off her face. "In one day I can kill what takes you lot an entire World War to accomplish," her eyes flared, almost becoming red despite the palette limitations of her projection.

"Yes, you can wipe entire cities in a single day. You are not ground breaking.

You are **a valid target**. Humanity can be quite frightening without a reason - and you've given us one." His phone chirped and he glanced at the line of text that appeared. "Since you'll live a little longer, I suggest you consider that."

"Consider what? Surrendering, living in a little cage like some pet? Do you expect me to accept terms?"

Gendo's eyes darted to her bloody hands. "Remember what this makes you. Not-to-be-negotiated-with. You come here and declare yourself an enemy to all of mankind, and well doesn't that just make you an animal? Albeit, a talking animal, but certainly not a peer or anything to interact with on an intellectual level."

"You humans are beneath me."

"No." Gendo's grin grew. "You're not special; you're not unique. You're just another genocidal tyrant. You criticize these old men for their plots and fears. Their vain, sad quest for immortality."

"Ikari! That's enough!" Keel shouted.

"No, Chairman! There's no negotiating with this sort. Her entrance made that clear enough." He turned back to Mikki. "Look around, even Seele in their fear of you plots revenge.

"All you've done is manage to give every single faction and country a reason to fight you. And we will push, we will fight. You've given us one path forward: wanton destruction of a hated enemy." Gendo's grin now revealed his teeth. "The very thing humanity excels at."

Ikari looked down at his phone for a second time. "Just remember. There are still five hundred million of us for **each** of you."

"What you're saying is less Little Impact and more Second Impact? I believe the ratio in that event would be sufficient." Catching sight of Gendo's phone, Mikki stood. "I see. I'm afraid you've stalled me enough." Smirking, she bowed her head and spun on her heel. The Angel walked away from the desk, out of range of the projectors.

"Ikari, you may think your bluff clever, but your reckless actions will endanger the Plan," the French representative admonished.

"Bluff?" Gendo picked up his phone and looked at the latest message.

The American looked to Keel. "Chairman, the Navy has a carrier group near Gombe's location, we could try-"

"Councilman, it would be a bit less wasteful if you were to wait." A small frown flickered across Gendo's face. "Just a bit longer." He returned the phone to his desk and the blue projection cut out. "There."

"Ikari, you have stepped beyond your authority," Lorenz stated.

"Technically, Azazel has," Gendo tapped the screen of his phone, sending his reply. "Once again the Russians are cleaning up after our messes." He looked to his right at the green American. "You do realize that even if sabotaged, Jarngreipr is a mere symptom."

"It is another tool that we can use to our advantage," Keel stated.

"Much like the Ninth Project?" Gendo gestured to the dark spot between him and the yellow French representative.

"You can hardly criticize us in regard to such things. Your own hybrid... experiments are-"

"An unmitigated success that has produced two excellent pilots. Project E's biggest failure is a marginal pilot repurposed into an acceptable officer." Gendo coolly stated.

"Seele's biggest failure, among the Ninth Project at least, created the Enemy force's ringleader who took it upon him- herself- to train and shape the Angels." Pocketing his phone, Gendo stood.

"This meeting isn't over," the red Brit stated.

"I apologize, gentlemen but I have to explain to the JSSDF and the Prime Minister that the bombing of the eastern tip of Hokkaido was an authorized action and not prelude to a new Kuril Islands war. Despite everything, I fear the Japanese government still thinks the Russians would try to retake a pair of worthless islets."

"Ikari, you have not been dismissed. Do not forget that we are well aware of the truth behind the Ayanami project," Keel stated as he pressed a couple controls on his desk.

"Correct." Gendo held his gaze on the older man. "Gentlemen, I trust that your own faculties are secure, and, if failing that, at are at least remote."

"How fitting that you care for our security," the Brit scoffed, while the American and the Frenchman seemed to realize Ikari's veiled threat.

Gendo nodded to the darkened desk "I will give Gombe some credit in that regard. While Shiretoko National Park is hardly the most subtle of locations, I'm sure more bears than people died in the blast."

Before Gendo left, Lorenz caught his eye. "You may go then Ikari. You may also keep up the charade of the Ayanami if you wish, but do not think who those three really are is a secret. Not to us."

Standing just before threshold, Ikari glanced back. He pushed his glasses up his nose, tapped a code into the panel next to the door, and the projectors shut off. Looking at the spot where the blue images had been, he exhaled and hit another code.

This one unlocked the door and opened it with a slight hiss as the slight overpressure in the room equalized with the corridor it junctioned into.

Gendo crossed the hallway and knocked on the door opposite the teleconference suite. He then passed his card and entered his code, opening the door to reveal a small office. It was a plain affair: chair, desk facing a side wall with display, and secure phone." Sitting at the desk, Fuyutsuki stopped talking and lowered the phone. He picked it back up and signed off before hanging up.

The older man stood, and exited the room locking the door behind him.

Ikari chuckled.

"About time," Fuyutsuki huffed. "The UN is pissed. The Generals have already launched their YA-11 and are turning over the reactors on the two planes they just got. Admiral Sudoplatov wants to discuss your 'debt' and the Prime Minister is threatening to send in the JSSDF, which is confusing the generals, as they think they've got an attack to the North to deal with."

"Is that all?" Gendo asked. He began to walk down the corridor. It was not an overly long distance to the Command Center, and right now it would be better to be seen there, as opposed to his office.

"The Pilots have been secured and are suited up and ready to deploy." Fuyutsuki ran for a couple steps to catch up.

"And what did you tell them. What did you tell our allies?"

"The truth."

Gendo laughed.

"The escaped Angel found the elusive Mr. Gombe and assassinated him on a conference call with you. JSSDF might be suspicious of that, but they can see Azazel and Nerv are on full alert."

"Good," Ikari adjusted his gloves. "Do you expect a counterattack?"

The older man lowered his head to think. Naturally, he had been watching the whole conference. Seele ran the video and audio feeds on their own secure and encrypted circuits. The conduits were isolated from those Nerv used; the whole room acted within an electronic air gap.

However, Nerv controlled the room itself, and drilling the backside of the walls was a trivial matter. It was even more trivial for Gendo to simply carry a wireless microphone and camera into the room himself.

Fuyutsuki rubbed his chin. "You scared her. You humiliated her. This was her prodigal 'son' moment. And you stole her thunder."

"She'll want revenge."

"Yes, she will, but she has fought today, and yesterday. Unless she develops a taste for getting her hands dirty, I see her wanting to take some time to recuperate and plot her next move."

"You still scrambled our forces. Though I wish we had more assets."

"We are at parity of pilots and Evas. Though Unit 04 is being sent once Professor Insana's test article is completed."

"Given the successes of yesterday's deployment, the use of more Pilots has become obvious."

Fuyutsuki nodded. He was aware of the programs to remedy that, and while he found them... distasteful. It was really not much worse than the Dummy Plug program. They had crossed the Rubicon so long ago.

"Still, good initiative. Expect failure and prepare for it."

Fuyutsuki blinked at the compliment. "Age brings caution, and the knowledge that with youth comes recklessness," Fuyutsuki said before running his card through the door at the end of the corridor.

"And our enemy is very young." Gendo swiped his own card. And the two men now stood at one of Central Dogma's security stations. A group of Nerv Tactical in their tan uniforms and red berets saluted. Their officer was a short but wiry woman with black hair cut in a rough pageboy.

"Lieutenant," Gendo nodded to the officer in charge. "I want a lockdown on this corridor. No maintenance or repair staff without the personal authorization of myself or the Vice Commander. Physical override; disconnect from the Magi."

"Yes, sir." Lieutenant Tomoe saluted. Her team had been on duty when facilities had installed rows of axes in the Command Center annexes. Based on the maintenance staff that worked down that corridor she had some idea what those rooms were used for, but that was not her job; her job was to keep that corridor secure. " Kaiou, Astarte open up panel H4."

"Good," Gendo returned the salute and resumed walking. Once they were alone in another of Central Dogma's corridors he glanced back. "When thing settle down one of us will need to scrub the footage. If things go the way they do, I believe Helen could find that video most useful."

Fuyutsuki blinked. Miss Helen Mann formerly Mrs. Hale headed Travisano and Femina Incorporated which handled "marketing" needs for Nerv. "Propaganda?"

"I will use every weapon that is at hand," Gendo said as they stepped onto a moving walkway and began to speed down a long arcing corridor towards the Command Center.

"Every?" Fuyutsuki asked once again having to catch up. He was surprised to see that Ikari had resumed walking, instead of normally standing back and letting the conveyer take him.

"You are not getting cold feet now? Not when we get so close."

"Of course not," Fuyutsuki now walked next to Ikari and looked the younger man in the eye. "I see our progress. I also can see our enemies. As we ride the tiger, the sharks circle.

"And both know we plan to skin them." Gendo allowed a sigh. "That is exactly why we must speedup the time tables, my old friend. We need our contingency plans. We need allies. We need to be ready."

"I see." The older man knew that meant a rubberstamp to their developmental programs and upgrades, among other things. "I'll arrange a meeting with Admiral Sudoplatov and General Yubari."

"Good." Gendo glanced at his phone to check the time. "And make sure you have that footage redacted before the meeting. I think it's time we show the JSSDF who they've been really working for, and see just how much Azazel really knows."

"Provided, we don't have a counter attack to deal with first." Fuyutsuki reminded.

End Chapter 12

I'd like to thank my pre-readers. They read through my most egregious mistakes so you don't have to: J St C Patrick, Pale Wolf, and DGC


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